title: Aqueous root extract of Lecaniodiscus cupanioides restores nitric oxide/cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway in sexually impaired male rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aqueous root extract of Lecaniodiscus cupanioides is widely used in the management of sexual dysfunction in Nigeria. The effect of aqueous root extract of L. cupanioides root on the concentrations of penile cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) and plasma nitric oxide in paroxetine-induced sexually impaired male rats was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty (30) albino rats were assigned into six groups (A, B, C, D, E and F) of five rats each such that animals in Group A (control) received distilled water while those in Groups B, C, D, E and F which were induced into sexual dysfunction (p.o 10mg/kg of paroxetine hydrochloride suspension in Tween-80) and in addition received distilled water, 7.14 mg/kg body weight of a reference herbal drug (PowmaxM), 25, 50 and 100mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively, orally, once daily for five days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of paroxetine significantly reduced the levels of penile cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate (cGMP) and plasma nitric oxide. These decreases were dose dependently reversed by the aqueous extract of L. cupanioides root. The reversal by the 25 and 50mg/kg body weight of the extract compared favorably with the PowmaxM, whereas the 100mg/kg body weight of the extract compared favorably with the non-sexually impaired distilled water treated control animals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study show that aqueous extract of L. cupanioides root restored the levels of cGMP and nitric oxide in sexually impaired rats. This study further lends credence to the use of aqueous root extract of L. cupanioides in the management of sexual dysfunction in Nigeria.
authors.affiliation: Phytomedicine, Toxicology and Reproductive Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Quadri O
authors.initials: QO
authors.lastname: Nurudeen
authors.affiliation: Antioxidants, Free Radicals, Functional Foods and Toxicology Research Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, Nigeria. Electronic address: ajiboyeyong@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Taofeek O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Ajiboye
authors.affiliation: Phytomedicine, Toxicology and Reproductive Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Musa T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Yakubu
authors.affiliation: Phytomedicine, Toxicology and Reproductive Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Oghenetega T
authors.initials: OT
authors.lastname: Oweh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Omoregie
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Nosarieme
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000097:blood; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D029631:Sapindaceae; D012735:Sexual Dysfunction, Physiological / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D006152:Cyclic GMP
keywords: Lecaniodiscus cupanioides; Male sexual dysfunction; Paroxetine; Penile erection; Sapindaceae