Abstract
In this study, we aimed to assess the effect and possible underlying mechanism of Anacardium occidentale leaves extract on male sexual behaviors in stress-exposed rats. Male Wistar rats were orally given A. occidentale extract at doses of 25, 100, and 200 mg/kg BW before 12-hour-immobilization exposure for 14 days. Sexual behaviors, serum testosterone and corticosterone levels, TH-positive cells density in nucleus accumbens (NAc) and ventral tegmental area (VTA), MAO-B activity in NAc and medial preoptic area (MPOA), testis histology together with phosphodiesterase type-5 ( PDE-5) activity, and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression in penis were evaluated after treatment. All doses of extract improved male sexual behaviors, suppressed MAO-B in NAc, enhanced TH-positive cells density in NAc, suppressed PDE-5 in penis, and enhanced interstitial cell of Leydig. The increase of serum testosterone, TH-positive cells density in VTA, eNOS expression in penis, and the decreased serum corticosterone were observed at some doses. Therefore, the sexual enhancing effect of extract occurred mainly via the improved dopaminergic and testicular functions. PDE-5 suppression in penis also played the role especially in the increased intromission behavior. Therefore, A. occidentale leaves extract is the potential protective agent against sexual dysfunction. However, further researches are necessary.
Highlights
Stress is regarded as one of the important factors of sexual dysfunction and infertility
The repeated exposure to 12-hour-immobilization stress can produce the significant changes of male sexual behaviors, serum testosterone, and BioMed Research International spermatogenesis and these findings are in agreement with the previous study [8,9,10]
The mesocorticolimbic DA tract which ascends from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and prefrontal cortex is reported to play a critical role on reinforcement and appetitive behaviors
Summary
Stress is regarded as one of the important factors of sexual dysfunction and infertility. Our pilot study has shown that exposure to immobilization stress failed to produce the significant changes of aforementioned parameters Some parameters such as intromission can be observed. The repeated exposure to 12-hour-immobilization stress can produce the significant changes of male sexual behaviors, serum testosterone, and BioMed Research International spermatogenesis and these findings are in agreement with the previous study [8,9,10]. Since this model successfully produces the impairment of all significant male sexual parameters, the repeated exposure to 12-hour-immobilization stress has been used as the model to induce sexual dysfunction in this study. The observed changes can possibly occur via a direct effect of immobilization stress and via the stress induced by dehydration and/or hunger
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