Chemical Composition And Aphrodisiac Activity Of Aqueous And Hydroalcoholic Extracts Of Corynaea crassa Hook f

Introduction: corynaea crassa is a hemiparasitic plant, traditionally used in Ecuador and Peru as a male aphrodisiac, but scientific evidence is required to validate its use. Especially, the species from Ecuador has not been studied for this purpose.Objective: compare the chemical composition and aphrodisiac activity of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts of C. crassa collected in Ecuador and Peru.Methods: the chemical composition of aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts was determined through the quantification of phenols by Folin-Ciocalteu, flavonoids by the aluminum trichloride technique, alkaloids and carbohydrates by the bromocresol green and phenol-sulfuric methods, respectively. The aphrodisiac activity of the extracts was tested at doses of 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg in male Wistar rats, using sildenafil (50 mg/kg) as a positive control. Parameters of sexual behavior, nitric oxide concentration in plasma and corpus cavernosum, and testosterone concentration in blood serum were evaluated.Results: significant differences were seen in the content of each metabolite. The hydroalcoholic extracts showed the highest concentration of phenols, flavonoids and alkaloids, higher for the Ecuadorian sample. The aqueous extract from Peru recorded the highest concentration of carbohydrates. All extracts promoted sexual activity in rats, increasing the levels of nitric oxide and testosterone, highlighting the aqueous and hydroalcoholic extracts (300 mg/kg) with a behavior comparable to sildenafil. Conclusions: the study justified the popular use of C. crassa as a male aphrodisiac, given the variety of chemical compounds quantified, providing the first scientific evidence of the Ecuadorian species.