Sexual Behaviour in Male Healthy Rats: A Comparison Between Indian Tribulus terrestris Linn. Extracts with Protodioscin Standardized Bulgarian Extract

摘要

Background: Tribulus terrestris Linn. (TT) is reported for its ability to improve malesexual performance, and protodioscin is responsible for the activity. This study was designed to correlateand compare various extracts of Indian TT with Bulgarian TT, and also the effect of protodioscincontent on the activity.Methods: Bulgarian TT extract (BT) and prepared solvent extracts [aqueous (WIT), supercriticalfluid (SIT) and methanol (MIT)] of Indian TT were standardized and compared using UV spectrophotometricmethod. Forty male rats were randomized into 5 groups of 8 each. Group I served as untreatedcontrol and group II to V were treated with 100 mg/Kg b.wt. of MIT, WIT, BT and SIT, respectively.The groups received the respective treatment for fourteen days. Sexual behavior of therats was observed on Day-1 14. Serum testosterone was estimated after the last observation.Results: It was found that there was a statistically significant difference between the treatmentgroups. However, based on the mean values/ranking analysis of all the parameters, the order of potencywas WIT > SIT ≥ BT > MIT.Conclusion: These findings indicate that the aqueous extract of Indian TT which contains lesserprotodioscin showed comparatively better sex stimulant activity in comparison to the other testedextracts.