In vivo, In vitro and In silico Aphrodisiac Activity of the Hydroalcoholic Fruit Extract of Fragaria ananassa in Male Wistar Rats for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction Induced by Metronidazole

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common sexual disorders in men which occurs due to various biological, environment and rarely genetic factors. The study is conducted due to various side effects of the currently available erectile dysfunction drugs such as PDE 5 inhibitor. The objective of the study is to evaluate the aphrodisiac activity of Fragaria ananassa fruit extract in drug-induced erectile dysfunction in rats. The fruit of Fragaria ananassa was extracted by the hydroalcoholic extraction method and evaluated for its preliminary phytochemical investigation and further molecular docking studies were carried out. The hydroalcoholic extract of the fruit at different doses (500mg/kg and 1000mg/kg) is used for in vivo studies carried out in rats and various physical mating parameters, serum testosterones, FSH, LH, AST, ALT, TC, and antioxidant SOD, CAT and LPO were estimated along with the histopathology studies and compared with standard sildenafil (4.5mg/kg). The phytochemicals screening confirms the presence of the flavonoids, glycosides, phenols, in Fragaria ananassa fruit extract (FAFE). In metronidazole induced model, FAFE shows a significant effect against dysfunction by improving the serum hormonal levels and restoration of the natural antioxidant system (SOD, CAT & LPO) and histology of the testis, which serves as evidence for the aphrodisiac activity of FAFE. From the present study, it can be concluded that the hydroalcoholic extract of Fragaria ananassa fruit extract (FAFE) possesses aphrodisiac activity and enhances erection. FAFE is effective in ameliorating the effects of metronidazole induced ED model in rats.