PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING AND APHRODISIAC EFFECT OF ETHANOLIC EXTRACT OF MASSULARIA ACUMINATA(G. DON) BULLOCK EX HOYL. (RUBIACEAE)IN MALE WISTAR RATS

Objective: The objective of the present study is to determine, through phytochemical screening, the major chemical compounds and to evaluate the aphrodisiac effect of the ethanolic extract of M.acuminata stems in adult male rats. Methods :To achieve our objectives, a phytochemical study was conducted to determine the major chemical compounds present in the ethanolic extract of M. acuminatastems. The phytochemical screening was carried out following standard analytical procedures using thin layer chromatography.The aphrodisiac effect was evaluated in sexually naïve male rats. In sexually naïve male rats, a single administration of the ethanolic extract was performed at doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg versus 0.5 mL/100g distilled water and 715 µg/kg Sildenafil Pfizer 50 mg in the negative and positive control rats, respectively. Female rats were induced to oestrus by sequential administration of estradiol benzoate (Sigma - Aldrich) (25 μg/rat) to make them receptive to males. Results :The results of the phytochemical screening revealed that the ethanolic extract of M. acuminata stems contains coumarins, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes of triterpenesaponins. The biological study showed that at doses of 20 and 40 mg/kg, ethanolic extract of M. acuminatastems resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) and highly significant (p < 0.001) increase in the number of sexual mounts, the number of erections, the number of ejaculations and a significant (p < 0.01) decrease in the latency time between sexual mounts in male rats. Conclusions:The sexual stimulating effects of the ethanolic extract of M. acuminata observed in this study could be attributed to the presence of the identified chemical compounds, hence the interest in using this plant in traditional aphrodisiac medicine.