Polysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis

Wui Man Lau; Jada Chia Di Lee; Yue Li; Sophia Man Yuk Fung; Yan Hua Sang; Jiangang Shen; Raymond Chuen Chung Chang; Kwok Fai So

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0033374

Polysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis

Wui Man Lau, Jada Chia Di Lee, Yue Li, Sophia Man Yuk Fung, Yan Hua Sang, Jiangang Shen, Raymond Chuen Chung Chang, Kwok Fai So

Research output: Journal article publication › Journal article › Academic research › peer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lycium barbarum, commonly known as wolfberry, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. However, there is still a scarcity of experimental evidence to support the pro-sexual effect of wolfberry. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on male sexual behavior of rats. Here we report that oral feeding of LBP for 21 days significantly improved the male copulatory performance including increase of copulatory efficiency, increase of ejaculation frequency and shortening of ejaculation latency. Furthermore, sexual inhibition caused by chronic corticosterone was prevented by LBP. Simultaneously, corticosterone suppressed neurogenesis in subventricular zone and hippocampus in adult rats, which could be reversed by LBP. The neurogenic effect of LBP was also shown in vitro. Significant correlation was found between neurogenesis and sexual performance, suggesting that the newborn neurons are associated with reproductive successfulness. Blocking neurogenesis in male rats abolished the pro-sexual effect of LBP. Taken together, these results demonstrate the pro-sexual effect of LBP on normal and sexually-inhibited rats, and LBP may modulate sexual behavior by regulating neurogenesis.

Original language	English
Article number	e33374
Journal	PLoS ONE
Volume	7
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033374
Publication status	Published - 16 Apr 2012
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine(all)
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology(all)
Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)

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10.1371/journal.pone.0033374

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title = "Polysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis",

abstract = "Lycium barbarum, commonly known as wolfberry, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. However, there is still a scarcity of experimental evidence to support the pro-sexual effect of wolfberry. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on male sexual behavior of rats. Here we report that oral feeding of LBP for 21 days significantly improved the male copulatory performance including increase of copulatory efficiency, increase of ejaculation frequency and shortening of ejaculation latency. Furthermore, sexual inhibition caused by chronic corticosterone was prevented by LBP. Simultaneously, corticosterone suppressed neurogenesis in subventricular zone and hippocampus in adult rats, which could be reversed by LBP. The neurogenic effect of LBP was also shown in vitro. Significant correlation was found between neurogenesis and sexual performance, suggesting that the newborn neurons are associated with reproductive successfulness. Blocking neurogenesis in male rats abolished the pro-sexual effect of LBP. Taken together, these results demonstrate the pro-sexual effect of LBP on normal and sexually-inhibited rats, and LBP may modulate sexual behavior by regulating neurogenesis.",

author = "Lau, {Wui Man} and Lee, {Jada Chia Di} and Yue Li and Fung, {Sophia Man Yuk} and Sang, {Yan Hua} and Jiangang Shen and Chang, {Raymond Chuen Chung} and So, {Kwok Fai}",

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AU - Lau, Wui Man

AU - Lee, Jada Chia Di

AU - Li, Yue

AU - Fung, Sophia Man Yuk

AU - Sang, Yan Hua

AU - Shen, Jiangang

AU - Chang, Raymond Chuen Chung

AU - So, Kwok Fai

PY - 2012/4/16

Y1 - 2012/4/16

N2 - Lycium barbarum, commonly known as wolfberry, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. However, there is still a scarcity of experimental evidence to support the pro-sexual effect of wolfberry. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on male sexual behavior of rats. Here we report that oral feeding of LBP for 21 days significantly improved the male copulatory performance including increase of copulatory efficiency, increase of ejaculation frequency and shortening of ejaculation latency. Furthermore, sexual inhibition caused by chronic corticosterone was prevented by LBP. Simultaneously, corticosterone suppressed neurogenesis in subventricular zone and hippocampus in adult rats, which could be reversed by LBP. The neurogenic effect of LBP was also shown in vitro. Significant correlation was found between neurogenesis and sexual performance, suggesting that the newborn neurons are associated with reproductive successfulness. Blocking neurogenesis in male rats abolished the pro-sexual effect of LBP. Taken together, these results demonstrate the pro-sexual effect of LBP on normal and sexually-inhibited rats, and LBP may modulate sexual behavior by regulating neurogenesis.

AB - Lycium barbarum, commonly known as wolfberry, has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of infertility and sexual dysfunction. However, there is still a scarcity of experimental evidence to support the pro-sexual effect of wolfberry. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBP) on male sexual behavior of rats. Here we report that oral feeding of LBP for 21 days significantly improved the male copulatory performance including increase of copulatory efficiency, increase of ejaculation frequency and shortening of ejaculation latency. Furthermore, sexual inhibition caused by chronic corticosterone was prevented by LBP. Simultaneously, corticosterone suppressed neurogenesis in subventricular zone and hippocampus in adult rats, which could be reversed by LBP. The neurogenic effect of LBP was also shown in vitro. Significant correlation was found between neurogenesis and sexual performance, suggesting that the newborn neurons are associated with reproductive successfulness. Blocking neurogenesis in male rats abolished the pro-sexual effect of LBP. Taken together, these results demonstrate the pro-sexual effect of LBP on normal and sexually-inhibited rats, and LBP may modulate sexual behavior by regulating neurogenesis.

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DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0033374

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JO - PLoS ONE

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ER -

Polysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis

Abstract

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