Activity of single components of Ferula hermonis on male rat sexual behavior.

The influence of the single components of Ferula hermonis extract on sexual behavior was studied in male rats. Sexually potent and sluggish/impotent animals were orally treated acutely (2.5 mg/kg) and subchronically (0.25 mg/kg/day for 10 days) with ferutinin, teferdin and teferin. Ferutinin alone acutely administered in potent rats was able to reduce mount and intromission latencies, while in sluggish/impotent animals, it induced the same effects and additionally shortened the ejaculation latency, as teferdin did. Both substances increased testosterone levels in rats. Unlike teferdin, ferutinin subchronically administered in potent rats negatively affected appetitive and consummatory sexual behavior, reducing also testosterone serum levels. In conclusion, if repetitively administered, ferutinin was able to stimulate sexual behavior after acute ingestion, but exerted a negative influence on the sexual capacity of potent male rats, whereas teferdin only improved copulatory performance of sluggish/impotent animals.