Fitoterapia. 2003 Apr; 74(3): 242-6.

A comparative study of Ferula hermonis root extracts and sildenafil on copulatory behaviour of male rats.

Hadidi KA, Aburjai T, Battah AK.

Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.

The effect of 600 mg/kg given by oral route to rats of Ferula hermonis roots extracts (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and water) was evaluated on sexual behaviour of male rats. Petroleum ether and ethyl acetate extracts produced a significant decrease in both the mount rate (MR) and the intromission rate (IR), significant prolongation of intromission latency (IL) was observed when these extracts were compared with both controls and sildenafil. Methanolic extract produced a significant increase in MR while no effect has been observed on IR or IL in comparison with control. The effect of water extract was not significantly different from controls for the MR and IR, but there was a significant prolongation in the IL.