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

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TitlePolysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis
AuthorsLau, BWM1 2
Lee, JCD1 2
Li, Y2
Fung, SMY1
Sang, YH1
Shen, J2
Chang, RCC1 2
So, KF1 2
KeywordsCorticosterone
Lycium extract
Polysaccharide
Animal experiment
Animal tissue
Issue Date2012
PublisherPublic Library of Science. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.plosone.org/home.action
CitationPlos One, 2012, v. 7 n. 4 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033374
AbstractLycium 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. © 2012 Lau et al.
ISSN1932-6203
2011 Impact Factor: 4.092
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.519
DOIhttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033374
ISI Accession Number IDWOS:000305345000009
PubMed Central IDPMC3327693
ReferencesReferences in Scopus
DC Field
Value
dc.contributor.authorLau, BWM
dc.contributor.authorLee, JCD
dc.contributor.authorLi, Y
dc.contributor.authorFung, SMY
dc.contributor.authorSang, YH
dc.contributor.authorShen, J
dc.contributor.authorChang, RCC
dc.contributor.authorSo, KF
dc.date.accessioned2012-05-23T05:42:31Z
dc.date.available2012-05-23T05:42:31Z
dc.date.issued2012
dc.description.abstractLycium 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. © 2012 Lau et al.
dc.description.naturepublished_or_final_version
dc.identifier.citationPlos One, 2012, v. 7 n. 4 [How to Cite?]
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033374
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0033374
dc.identifier.hkuros199683
dc.identifier.isiWOS:000305345000009
dc.identifier.issn1932-6203
2011 Impact Factor: 4.092
2011 SCImago Journal Rankings: 0.519
dc.identifier.issue4
dc.identifier.pmcidPMC3327693
dc.identifier.pmid22523540
dc.identifier.scopuseid_2-s2.0-84859807658
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10722/146846
dc.identifier.volume7
dc.languageeng
dc.publisherPublic Library of Science. The Journal's web site is located at http://www.plosone.org/home.action
dc.publisher.placeUnited States
dc.relation.ispartofPLoS ONE
dc.relation.referencesReferences in Scopus
dc.rightsCreative Commons: Attribution 3.0 Hong Kong License
dc.subjectCorticosterone
dc.subjectLycium extract
dc.subjectPolysaccharide
dc.subjectAnimal experiment
dc.subjectAnimal tissue
dc.titlePolysaccharides from wolfberry prevents corticosterone-induced inhibition of sexual behavior and increases neurogenesis
dc.typeArticle
Author Affiliations
  1. The University of Hong Kong Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine
  2. The University of Hong Kong