Anabolic and androgenic activities of Bulbine natalensis stem in male Wistar rats

Yakubu, Musa T.; Afolayan, Anthony J.

Pharmaceutical Biology (Formerly International Journal of Pharmacognosy), Volume 48, Number 5, May 2010 , pp. 568-576(9)

Abstract:

Aqueous extract of Bulbine natalensis Baker (Asphodelaceae) stem at 25, 50 and 100?mg/kg body weight was investigated for anabolic and androgenic effects in male Wistar rats. Sixty male rats were grouped into four (A-D) consisting of 15 each. Group A (control) was orally treated with 0.5?mL of distilled water for 14 days while groups B, C and D were treated like the control except they received 0.5 mL containing 25, 50, and 100?mg/kg body weight of the extract respectively. All the doses of the extract increased (P <0.05) the testicular-body weight ratio as well as alkaline phosphatase activity, glycogen, sialic acid, protein, and cholesterol content of the testes except the single administration of 100?mg/kg body weight which compared well (P>0.05) with the controls for glycogen and cholesterol. The testicular and serum testosterone concentration were increased except in the 100?mg/kg body weight where the effect on the tissue and serum hormone did not manifest until after the first and seven daily doses respectively. Testicular acid phosphatase activity, serum follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormone concentrations also increased at all the doses except in the 100?mg/kg body weight where the effect on the enzyme and the hormone did not manifest until after seven days. The increases were most pronounced in the 50?mg/kg body weight extract treated animals. The results indicate anabolic and androgenic activities of Bulbine natalensis stem in male rat testes with the 50?mg/kg body weight of the extract exhibiting the highest anabolizing and androgenic acti vities. These activities further support the folkloric use of the plant most especially at 50?mg/kg body weight in the management of male sexual dysfunction in South Africa.