The chemopreventive effects of ginger aqueous and methanolic extracts against alcohol-induced sexual dysfunction in rats

Abstract

Objective This study aimed to assess the potency of aqueous and methanolic extracts of ginger roots against sexual dysfunction in alcoholic male albino rats. Materials and methods The rats were divided into four groups: normal controls (NC), which received isotonic saline (0.9%) orally, ethanol treatment (Et) group, which received absolute EtOH orally (10%) in drinking water for 15 days before the experiment, ethanol plus ginger aqueous extract (Et+Gt1) group, which were administered both EtOH and aqueous extract of ginger (500 mg/kg) orally for 4 weeks, and ethanol plus ginger methanolic extract group (Et+Gt2), which received both EtOH and methanolic extract of ginger (200 mg/kg) for a period of 4 weeks. Results The present study shows that the aqueous and methanolic extracts of Zingiber officinale (ZO) roots induced a potential increase in the lowered serum luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, and testosterone levels and a potential increase in mounting, mating ability, and fertility. Testis lipid peroxidation was increased significantly as a result of alcohol administration, whereas all the tested agents induced a significant improvement in the elevated lipid peroxidation and lower enzyme activities of glutathione peroxidase and glutathione-S-transferase. ZO may play a preventive role in the histopathological changes caused by alcohol in rat testis. Conclusion Extracts of ZO may exert ameliorative effects against sexual dysfunction in male alcoholic rats. However, further clinical studies are required to assess their effects in the treatment of sexual dysfunction in humans.