In vitro antioxidant activity and in vivo aphrodisiac activity in male Cavia porcellus of Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) W. Wight and Pericopsis angolensis (Baker) Meeuwen

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the aphrodisiac and antioxidant activities of aqueous and methanolic extracts of two plants used as aphrodisiac in traditional medicine in Kampemba municipality, in Lubumbashi DR Congo. Aqueous and methanolic root bark extracts of both Albizia adianthifolia and Pericopsis angolensis were administered orally to male Cavia porcellus before evaluating their physical behavior in the presence of females and their testosterone, cholesterol and triglyceride contents. The antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH method. At 200 and 250 mg kg-1 body weight (bw), the extracts exhibited a decrease in rise time and intromission time and an increase in ejaculation time, ascending frequency, intromission frequency, ejaculation frequency and testosterone compared to the control group that received sildenafil (10 mg kg-1 bw) used as a reference. A positive relationship between testosterone level and antioxidant activity has also been observed. The aphrodisiac and antioxidant activity observed in the two species justify their uses in traditional medicine as aphrodisiacs. Further work is needed in order to proceed to the isolation and the identification of the active compounds.