![Sample our Medicine, Dentistry, Nursing & Allied Health journals, sign in here to start your FREE access for 14 days]({"type":"image" , "src" : "/sda/5944/TOC-Subject-Sample-2021-Medicine-Dentistry-Nursing-Allied-Health.jpg"})
Abstract
Vajikaran rasayana (aphrodisiac) herbs of the Ayurvedic system of medicine have been advocated for improving failing sexual function in males (Thakur and Dixit, 2008). Diabetes mellitus is a major cause of male reproductive function, possibly due to an increased oxidative stress. Fructans and fructoligosaccharides (FOS), which are also considered as functional food components, have been reported to produce a beneficial effect against oxidative stress. The aqueous extract of the roots of Asparagus racemosus Willd. (Liliaceae) rich in 2→1 type FOS were evaluated for their efficacy against streptozotocin and alloxan induced diabetes leading to sexual dysfunction in rats. The behavioral analysis of rats was undertaken to observe the effect on mount, ejaculation and intromission latencies as well as frequencies, hesitation time and copulatory rate. It was observed that streptozotocin as well as alloxan induced hyperglycemic rats showed an overall reduced sexual performance. The deleterious effect was significantly ameliorated in animals treated with polysaccharide-rich fraction of A. racemosus. The study validates the traditional claim of using A. racemosus as an aphrodisiac herb for treating sexual dysfunction in males.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Professor Werner Praznik and Dr. Renate Loeppert, Department of Chemistry, University of Natural and Applied Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria for their help and assistance in characterization of fructans of A. racemosus. M.T. would like to acknowledge the OEAD (Austrian Academic Exchange) for the North South Dialogue scholarship program.
Declaration of interest: The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.