Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on sleep in brain health

LIVE: Thursday 2nd May 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

Quality sleep is essential for health. But what happens to our brains when sleep patterns are disturbed? Join our experts to explore the interplay between sleep disruption and neurological diseases, and the questions that you need to be asking your patients to help you prevent the harmful effects of sleep deprivation.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
Clinical Phytoscience
Published in: Clinical Phytoscience 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Original contribution

Evaluation of aphrodisiac activity of ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum in male Wistar rats

Authors: Hammad Ahmed, Muhammad Aslam

Published in: Clinical Phytoscience | Issue 1/2018

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Ganoderma lucidum was traditionally used to manage male sexual dysfunction. This study was designed to investigate and establish the traditional aphrodisiac potential of the herb.

Methods

Aphrodisiac potential was evaluated following the oral administration of two different doses (150 and 300 mg/kg) of ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum. Sildenafil citrate (Viagra) and distilled water were used as positive and negative controls respectively. Mounting, intromission and ejaculation frequencies, mating performance, and orientation activities towards females, towards the environment, and towards self were observed. Serum testosterone levels were also evaluated.

Results

The results of the study show that the extract has significantly increased the mounting behavior and mating performance of the rats. There was also significant increase in the number of intromissions and ejaculations. The rats treated with extract were more interested in female rats as indicated by significant increase in the number of anogenital sniffing and climbing. Serum testosterone levels were also significantly increased in the treatment groups.

Conclusion

Ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum possesses aphrodisiac activity in male Wistar rats. The lower dose of 150 mg/kg was more effective in terms of aphrodisiac potential of the extract.
Literature
1.
Kothari P. Common sexual problems - solutions. 2nd ed. New Delhi: UBS Publishers Distributors (P), Limited; 1994.
2.
Kulkarni SK, Reddy DS. Pharmacotherapy of male erectile dysfunction with sildenafil. Indian J Pharmacol. 1998;30(6):367–8.
3.
4.
Hammoud MA, Jin F, Lea T, Maher L, Grierson J, Prestage G. Off-label use of phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor erectile dysfunction medication to enhance sex among gay and bisexual men in Australia: results from the FLUX study. J Sex Med. 2017;14(6):774–84.CrossRefPubMed
5.
Wasser SP, Weis AL. Therapeutic effects of substances occurring in higher Basidiomycetes mushrooms: a modern perspective. Critc Rev Immunol. 1999;19(1):1–32.
6.
De Silva DD, Rapior S, Fons F, Bahkali AH, Hyde KD. Medicinal mushrooms in supportive cancer therapies: an approach to anti-cancer effects and putative mechanisms of action. Fungal Divers. 2012;55(1):1–35.CrossRef
7.
Babu PD, Subhasree RS. The sacred mushroom “Reishi”-a review. American-Euras. J Bot. 2008;1(3):107–10.
8.
Chang ST, Buswell JA. Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. (Aphyllophoromycetideae)− a mushrooming medicinal mushroom. Int J Med Mushrooms. 1999;1(2):139–46.CrossRef
9.
Shiao MS. Natural products of the medicinal fungus Ganoderma lucidum: occurrence, biological activities, and pharmacological functions. The Chem Record. 2003;3(3):172–80.CrossRef
10.
Gordan JD, Chay WY, Kelley RK, Ko AH, Choo SP, Venook AP. And what other medications are you taking? J Clin Oncol. 2011;29(11):e288–91.CrossRefPubMed
11.
McKenna D, Jones K, Hughes K. Botanical Medicines. New York: Routledge; 2011.
12.
Gao Y, Zhou S, Chen G, Dai X, Ye J. A phase I/II study of a Ganoderma lucidum (Curt.: Fr.) P. Karst. Extract (Ganopofy) in patients with advanced cancer. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2002;4(3):1–8.CrossRef
13.
Zhao XL, Campos AR. Insulin signalling in mushroom body neurons regulates feeding behaviour in Drosophila larvae. J Exp Biol. 2012;215(15):2696–702.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Batra P, Sharma AK, Khajuria R. Probing Lingzhi or Reishi medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum (higher Basidiomycetes): a bitter mushroom with amazing health benefits. Int J Med Mushrooms. 2013;15(2):127–43.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Yuen JW, Gohel MD, Ng CF. Synergistic cytotoxic effects of Ganoderma lucidum and bacillus calmette guérin on premalignant urothelial HUC-PC cells and its regulation on proinflammatory cytokine secretion. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:1–9.CrossRef
16.
Li F, Zhang Y, Zhong Z. Antihyperglycemic effect of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides on streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Int J Mol Sci. 2011;12(9):6135–45.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
17.
Garber J, Barbee W, Bielitzki J, Clayton L, Donovan J, Kohn D, Lipman N, Locke P, Melcher J, Quimby F, Turner P, Wood G, Würbel H. Guidelines for care and use of laboratory animals. 8 Ed. Washington, D.C: The National Academies Press; 2011.
18.
Aslam M, Sial AA. Effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Cydonia oblonga miller (quince) on sexual behaviour of Wistar rats. Adv Pharmacol Sci. 2014;2014:1–6.CrossRef
19.
Ahmad S, Latif A, Qasmi IA. Aphrodisiac activity of 50% ethanolic extracts of Myristica fragrans Houtt. (nutmeg) and Syzygium aromaticum (L) Merr. & Perry. (clove) in male mice: a comparative study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2003;3(1):1–6.CrossRef
20.
Zade V, Dabhadkar D, Thakare V, Pare S. Evaluation of potential aphrodisiac activity of Moringa oleifera seed in male albino rats. Int J Pharm Pharm Sci. 2013;5(4):683–9.
21.
Pande M, Pathak A. Aphrodisiac activity of roots of Mimosa pudica Linn. Ethanolic extract in mice. Int J Pharm Sci Nanotechnol. 2009;2(1):477–86.
22.
Yakubu MT, Akanji MA, Oladiji AT. Aphrodisiac potentials of the aqueous extract of Fadogia agrestis (Schweinf. Ex Hiern) stem in male albino rats. Asian J Androl. 2005;7(4):399–404.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Yakubu MT, Akanji MA. Effect of aqueous extract of Massularia acuminata stem on sexual behaviour of male Wistar rats. Ev-Based Compl and Alter Med. 2011;2011:1–10.CrossRef
24.
Ratnasooriya WD, Dharmasiri MG. Effects of Terminalia catappa seeds on sexual behaviour and fertility of male rats. Asian J Androl. 2000;2(3):213–20.PubMed
25.
Andersson KE. Mechanisms of penile erection and basis for pharmacological treatment of erectile dysfunction. Pharmacol Rev. 2011;63(4):811–59.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Afolayan AJ, Yakubu MT. Effect of Bulbine natalensis baker stem extract on the functional indices and histology of the liver and kidney of male Wistar rats. J Med Food. 2009;12(4):814–20.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Giuliano F, Allard J. Dopamine and male sexual function. Europ Urol. 2001;40(6):601–8.CrossRef
28.
Bahmanpour S, Talaei T, Vojdani Z, Panjehshahin MR, Poostpasand A, Zareei S, Ghaeminia M. Effect of Phoenix dactylifera pollen on sperm parameters and reproductive system of adult male rats. Iran J Med Sci. 2015;31(4):208–12.
29.
Cao L, Leers-Sucheta S, Azhar S. Aging alters the functional expression of enzymatic and non-enzymatic anti-oxidant defense systems in testicular rat Leydig cells. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2004;88(1):61–7.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Aversa A, Fabbri A. New oral agents for erectile dysfunction: what is changing in our practice. Asian J Androl. 2001;3(3):175–9.PubMed
31.
Morales AJ, Laughlin GA, Bützow T, Maheshwari H, Baumann G, Yen SS. Insulin, somatotropic, and luteinizing hormone axes in lean and obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome: common and distinct features. J Clin Endocrinol Metabol. 1996;81(8):2854–64.
32.
Drewes SE, George J, Khan F. Recent findings on natural products with erectile-dysfunction activity. Phytochemistry. 2003;62(7):1019–25.CrossRefPubMed
33.
Gauthaman K, Ganesan AP. The hormonal effects of Tribulus terrestris and its role in the management of male erectile dysfunction–an evaluation using primates, rabbit and rat. Phytomed. 2008;15(1–2):44–54.CrossRef
34.
Murphy LL, Ginseng LEETJ. Sex behavior, and nitric oxide. Annal New York Acad Sci. 2002;962(1):372–7.CrossRef
35.
Ratnasooriya WD, Fernando TS. Effect of black tea brew of Camellia sinensis on sexual competence of male rats. J Ethnopharmacol. 2008;118(3):373–7.CrossRefPubMed
36.
Yang NY, Kaphle K, Wang PH, Jong DS, Wu LS, Lin JH. Effects of aqueous extracts of" betel quid" and its constituents on testosterone production by dispersed mouse interstitial cells. American J Chinese Med. 2004;32(5):705–15.CrossRef
37.
Wasser SP. Reishi or Ling Zhi (Ganoderma lucidum). Encycl Diet Suppl. 2005;1:603–22.
Metadata
Title
Evaluation of aphrodisiac activity of ethanol extract of Ganoderma lucidum in male Wistar rats
Authors
Hammad Ahmed
Muhammad Aslam
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Clinical Phytoscience / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2199-1197
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40816-018-0086-7

Other articles of this Issue 1/2018

Clinical Phytoscience 1/2018 Go to the issue

Original contribution

Antiallergic, anthelmintic and cytotoxic potentials of dried aerial parts of Acanthus ilicifolius L.

Original contribution

Anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and antidiabetic activities of Abutilon hirtum (Lam.) Sweet

Original contribution

Hepatoprotective, antihyperglycemic and antidiabetic effects of Dendrophthoe pentandra leaf extract in rats

Original contribution

Anthelmintic activity of Piper sylvaticum Roxb. (family: Piperaceae): In vitro and in silico studies

Original contribution

An in vivo study regarding analgesic and anxiolytic activity of methanolic extract of Typha elephantina Roxb

Original contribution

Phytochemical and pharmacological evaluation of methanolic extract of Lathyrus sativus L. seeds