"Spectroscopic Analysis, Aphrodisiac Potential of Carapa Procera Stem Bark Extract in Male Wistar Rats and In Silico Studies of Hexadecanoic and Oleic Acids on Phosphodiesterase-5 and Adenylcyclase Enzymes"

Abstract

Background: Carapa procera D.C Meliaecae is a medicinal plant used by the Ijaw in the management of erectile dysfunction in men. The aim was to assess the aphrodisiac effect of Carapa procera in male Wistar rats. Materials and Method:The crude stem bark was assessed for elemental content and aphrodisiac effect using the physical behavioral mating method. The extracts were administered mg/kg/day for 7 days. On the 8th day male Wistar rats were sacrificed, liver, kidney, testis, seminal vesicle, epididymis, and vas deferens were harvested, weighed, and testes were subjected to histological appraisal. Purification of the dichloromethane fraction of the stem bark using chromatographic techniques yielded Sample A 1 . Results:The aphrodisiac assay in male Wistar rats showed that the extracts reduced mount latency at p<0.05-0.001. It also affects intromission latency at p<0.001. The DCMb, HDcb, and STD significantly reduced PEI at p<0.05-0.01, this proved the aphrodisiac potential of the extracts. It displayed 16 carbon atoms as revealed by 13 C NMR spectroscopy. Fourteen methylene, methyl (Sp 3 ), and quaternary carbon (Sp 2 ) signals.The 1 H-NMR further confirmed the assignment of these signals; 2.73 (J = 8.0) showed triplet assigned to C-2, multiplet at 1.65 ppm assigned to C-3 position, and due to 2H and intense peak appearing as multiplet at 1.27 ppm integrated for 20 protons assigned (C-4 to C-13) position and triplet at 0.90 ppm assigned to C-16. The spectrum showed a carbonyl group of carboxylic acid appearing at δ 179.9 ppm affording the most deshielded carbon. The IR spectra also revealed a diagnostic peak at 1781 cm -1 due to the carbonyl group of carboxylic acid and a signal at 2914.8 and 2847.7 cm -1 due to the C-H stretch. The GC-MS analysis showed a molecular ion peak of 256 due to C 16 H 32 O 2 . Conclusion:The extract of Carapa procera enhanced sexual indices in male albino Wistar rats. This corroborates the use of Carapa procera stem bark in ethnomedicine as an aphrodisiac agent Sample A1 (-4.4) and had a binding affinity lower than the standard drug sildenafil (-6.5) against the Phosphodiesterase enzyme while in adenyl-cyclase enzyme model; Alprostadil, Oleic acid and hexadecanoic acid had a binding affinity (-6.35, -2.61 and -1.48) respectively.