Effect of aqueous extract of Arctium lappa L. (burdock) roots on the sexual behavior of male rats

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Arctium lappa has been used for centuries in Chinese medicine for a variety of conditions including impotence and sterility. This may be the first study that investigated the claim that Arctium lappa could enhance sexual performance. Using male rates, this study investigated the effect of Arctium lappa on sexual behavior and used Viagra as a reference drug. While the rats who had been administered Viagra outperformed all other groups, those who were administered Arctium lappa (burdock) at various doses outperformed the rats who were only fed distilled water (control group). The researchers concluded that Arctium lappa enhanced sexual performance in male rats supporting the claim that this plant is an aphrodisiac. The researchers contend that the phytochemical compounds found in Arctium lappa are responsible for the results and that more research is needed to identify the actual active constituents so that a new treatment can be produced to treat male sexual disfunction.

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Published:

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BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2012, 12:8

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Attribution:

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Cao JianFeng¹, Zhang PengYing¹ ², Xu ChengWeiᶟ, Huang TaoTao¹ and KaoShan¹ ²

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Link:

https://bmccomplementmedtherapies.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/1472-6882-12-8