Aloe barbadensis (aloe vera) discovered to have considerable aphrodisiac potential

A study published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine discusses the aphrodisiac potential of aloe vera (Aloe barbadensis).

• The appropriate materials were gathered: fresh aloe vera roots were prepared into an ethanol extract; Viagra (Sildenafil citrate), estradiol benzoate, progesterone, and testosterone assay kits were purchased; and around 105 Wistar rats (75 males and 30 non-estrous females) were utilized.
• The male rats were randomly divided into five groups of 15 animals each. Group A was given the diluent. Group B was orally administered 100 mg/kg body weight of aloe vera root ethanol extract. Groups C and D were given 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight of the extract. Group E was assigned five mg/kg of Viagra.
• Five male rats were randomly selected on the first, seventh, and fourteenth days of administration for mating behavioral tests. The female rats were injected with estradiol benzoate and progesterone two days and four hours before testing. Male sexual behavior was evaluated through the number of mounts and the time between initial mounting and ejaculation. Libido was tested as well.
• Additionally, the researchers also carried out an acute toxicity study using 25 male rats. This portion of the experiment entailed monitoring the animals for behavioral changes for two hours after being given either viagra or aloe vera root ethanol extract.
• Blood was collected to measure plasma cholesterol and serum testosterone concentrations.
• Compared to the control and viagra groups, the aloe vera root ethanol extract groups all showed signs of being aroused. Mount and intromission frequencies increased while mount and intromission latencies decreased, extending ejaculation by a noticeable margin.
• The most profound effects on testosterone concentrations were observed with 100 mg/kg of aloe vera root ethanol extract on the first and fourteenth day, and the 200 mg/kg dose on the seventh day.
• Moreover, the extract appeared to have no noticeable acute toxicological impact on the animals.

Thus, the researchers concluded that aloe vera root has aphrodisiac potential thanks to its ability to enhance testosterone and cholesterol concentrations. Furthermore, the lowest quantity (100 mg/kg) was deemed the best dosage.

To read the full text of this study, simply go to this link.

For more stories on nature and sexual health, feel free to go to Health.news today.

Journal Reference:

Erhabor JO, Idu M. APHRODISIAC POTENTIALS OF THE ETHANOL EXTRACT OF ALOE BARBADENSIS MILL. ROOT IN MALE WISTAR RATS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017; 17(360). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-1866-1