Effect of the aqueous extract of the aerial parts of Monsonia angustifolia E. Mey. Ex A. Rich., on the sexual behaviour of male Wistar rats (BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine)

Background: Monsonia angustifolia (Geraniaceae) is a medicinal plant traditionally used in South Africa to increase libido and to treat erectile dysfunction. Methods: In-vivo aphrodisiac activities of the crude extracts of the plant prepared in water at 3, 30 and 300 mg/kg body weight were evaluated for 7 days using sildenafil citrate (Viagra) and 1 % ethanol in distilled water as positive and negative controls respectively. Male rats were selected and monitored in each group for sexual behaviour by exposing them to sexually receptive females on days 1, 3 and 7 for 60 minutes each between 7:00 pm and 3:00 am. The following male sexual parameters were observed: Mount Frequency (MF), Intromission Frequency (IF), Mount Latency (ML), Intromission Latency (IL), Ejaculation Frequency (EF), Ejaculatory Latency (EL) and Post-Ejaculatory Interval (PEI). Results: The administration of the extract resulted in significant increase (p