The Potential Aphrodisiac Effect of Ferula drudeana Korovin Extracts and Isolated Sesquiterpene Coumarins in Male Rats

Background: Many members of the genus Ferula are used in traditional medicine as aphrodisiac. Objectives: The aim of this study is to confirm the aphrodisiac potential of Ferula drudeana Korovin as listed in the Turkish traditional medicine and to isolate the active metabolites using male rats. Materials and Methods: The CHCl3 soluble fraction showed promising activity. Chromatographic purification resulted in the isolation of three sesquiterpene coumarins. Isolated compounds structures were determined as feselol (1), samarcandin (2), and 3'-O-acetyl samarcandin (3) based on the physical and spectral characters. Single doses of F. drudeana CHCl3 soluble fraction, aqueous fraction (200 mg/kg BW), 1 and 2 (10 mg/kg BW), and sildenafil citrate (10 mg/kg BW) were orally administered to male Wistar albino rats by gavages. Mount latency, mount frequency (MF), intromission latency, intromission frequency (IF), ejaculation latency, and postejaculatory interval (PEI) were studied. In addition, copulatory efficiency and intercopulatory efficiency were calculated. Results: Oral administration of F. drudeana roots extracts, 1 and 2 significantly increased MF and IF. The latencies of mount and intromission were reduced significantly and ELs were prolonged. Treatment with the extracts, 1 and 2 resulted in the reduction of the PEI. The highest aphrodisiac activity in male rats was exhibited by 2. Conclusion: The present findings provide experimental evidence that F. drudeana roots, 1 and 2 possess aphrodisiac activities by enhancing the sexual behavior of male rats. The obtained results supported the traditional claims about the use of Ferula species for male sexual dysfunction.