Background
Cocos nucifera (Coconut, Arecaceae family) is consumed as dietary fruit but little is known of it as sex enhancer.
Conclusion
C. nucifera husks extract improves sexuality indices by regulating male sex hormones in male Wistar rats.
Methods
Rats were grouped into control A, and treatment B to E (n=4); and administered husks extract at varying doses: 125mg/kg, 250mg/kg, 375mg/kg and 500mg/kg for 48days by oral intubation. Copulation behavior was assessed by introducing female rats to males (1:1) in a rectangular Plexiglas chamber and monitored by veterinary Anatomists. Blood samples for male sex hormones were collected and assayed by ELISA method.
Objective
To investigate male sex hormones and copulation behavior indices in male Wistar rats administered husks extract. Materials and
Results
Copulation behavior (500mg/kg treatment): mounting (9.66±0.79 to 29.08±2.16), ejaculation (7.66±0.38 to 16.93±0.76), intromission (22.01±1.67 to 38.11±3.35) frequencies, and ejaculation latency (7.92±0.43 to 12.28±0.41) increased remarkably (Group E). Correspondingly, mounting (133.31±1.18 to 93.39±0.43) and, intromission (88.13±3.12 to 74.55±1.19) latencies; post-ejaculation (3.16±0.14 to 2.18±0.34), inter-intromission (19.48±0.26 to 14.32±1.65) intervals reduced significantly (P≤0.05). Testosterone levels (Group E) increased: 3.82±0.6ng/dL to 5.14±0.3ng/dL while, LH and FSH values reduced: 2.92±0.6IU/L to 2.13±0.3IU/L and 2.28±0.7IU/L to 1.58±0.3IU/L significantly (p ≤ 0.05) while changes were dose-related.