Sprague-Dawley rats were induced to become diabetic by a single intravenous injection of Streptozotocin; STZ (35 mg/kg body weight; BW). The extract (1, 10 and 100 mg/kg BW) was administered orally once a day to diabetic rats. Normal and diabetic control were orally administered distilled water. After 4 weeks, ICP was measured by electrostimulation of the cavernous nerve. Cavernosal smooth muscle tone was also performed and presented in term of percentage of relaxation and half maximal effective concentration (EC5o). Moreover, immunohistochemistry and computerized image analysis were performed to quantify the percent area within the corpora cavernosa occupied by the endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells and fibrotic tissue.
In summary, this study found that the extract of B. superba has the maximum effective dose at 10 mg/kg. The increasing of ICP by B. superba extract is possible explained by relaxing cavernous smooth muscle which allows an increase in the blood flow. These results suggested that the ethanolic extract of B. superba can prevent the development of erectile dysfunction (ED), and provides a rationale for the use of the extract as treatment of diabetic ED.
Pornchai Sooksaen
Phitsanulok: Naresuan University, 2007
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