A Review on Plants Used for Improvement of Sexual Performance and Virility

Table 2

A list of few of the various popular herbs with ehtnopharmacological backing for being used as aphrodisiac. The table also describes the possible mechanism of action of one or more constitutent isolated from them.

Serial number	Biological source	Part used	Extract used	Mechanism of action	References
1	Aframomum Melegueta; Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)	Fruits	Aqueous extracts	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[114]
2	Asparagus racemosus Willd. (Liliaceae)	Roots	Aqueous extracts	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[115]
3	Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng; (Liliaceae)	Seeds	Butanolic extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[116]
4	Alpinia calcarata Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)	Rhizomes	Hot Aqueous extract	Increase of sexual behaviour; And testosterone	[117]
5	Argeria nervosa syn. A. speciosa Sweet; (Convolvulaceae)	Fresh leaves, roots and flowers	Aqueous, ethanol, hexane extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[118]
6	Aspidosperma ulei Markgr. (Apocyanaceae)	Root	Alkaloidal rich fraction	Increase penile erection	[119]
7	Asteracantha longifolia Nees (Syn) (Acanthaceae)	Seeds	Ethanolic extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[120]
8	Anacyclus pyrethrum DC (Compositae)	Root	Aqueous extract,; Ethanolic extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[121–123]
9	Anacardium occidentale L. (Anacardiaceae)	Leaf	Hexane; extract	Increase fertility	[124]
10	Bulbine natalensis Baker; (Asphodelaceae)	Stem	Aqueous extract	Increase hormone level	[125]
11	Butea Frondosa Koen. ex Roxb. (Leguminosae)	Bark	Aqueous extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[126]
12	Butea superba Roxb (Leguminosae)	Tuber	Ethanolic extracts	Increase penile erection	[39]
13	Bryonia lacinosa Linn; (Cucurbitaceae)	Seeds	Ethanolic extracts	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[127]
14	Basella alba L.; (Basellaceae)	Leaves	Terpenoid; or steroid compounds	Increased the blood testosterone concentrations	[128]
15	Boesenbergia rotunda  (L.) Mansf.; (Zingiberaceae)	Rhizome	Ethanolic extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[129]
16	Casimiroa edulis La Llave (Rutaceae)	Seed	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual activity	[130]
17	Camellia sinensis   (L.) O. Kuntze (Theaceae),	Leaves and buds	Aqueous extract	Increased the blood testosterone concentrations	[131]
18	Catha edulis Forsk; (Celestreceae)	Shoots and; Small branches	Chloroform : diethyether extract (1 : 3)	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[132]
19	Caesalpinia benthamiana L.; (Caesalpiniaceae)	Roots	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual activity	[133]
20	Chlorophytum borivilianum Sant. (Liliaceae)	Roots	Ethanolic extract	Improve sexual activity	[51]
21	Cocculus hirsutus; Linn (Menispermaceae)	Aerial part	Methanolic extract	Spermatogenic	[134]
22	Curculigo orchioides Gaertn (Amaryllidaceae)	Rhizome	Ethanolic extract	Improve sexual activity	[42, 135]
23	Crocus sativus L. (Iridaceae)	Stigma	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual activity	[136]
24	Cynomorium coccineum  L.; (Cynomoraceae)	Roots	Water; Extract	Increased spermatogenesis and increase sperm count	[48]
25	Diodia scandeus; SW. (Rubiaceae)	Herbs	Ethanolic extract	Potentiates the action of ACh and adrenaline	[137]
26	Dracaena arborea (Wild) Link (Dracaenaceae)	Root	Aqueous and Ethanolic	Improve sexual activity	[138]
27	Dactylorhiza hatagirea (D.Don) Soo (Orchidacea)	Tubers	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual activity	[139]
28	Eurycoma longifolia Jack.; (Simaroubaceae)	Roots	Methanolic extracts	Improve sexual activity	[67]
29	Eulophia nuda Lind. (Orchidaceae)	Tubers	Powder	Improve sexual activity	[140]
30	Epimedium koreanum Nakai (Berberidaceae)	Herbs	Aqueous and Ethanolic	Improve sexual activity	[56]
31	Epimedium brevicornum Maxim  (Berberidaceae)	Root	Aqueous Extract	Increase Nitric oxide release	[141]
32	Fadogia agrestis Schweinf. Ex Hiern (Rubiaceae)	Stem	Alkaloids and; Saponins	Increased the blood testosterone concentrations	[142]
33	Ferula hermonis Boiss; (Umbelliferae)	Roots	Acetonic extract	Stimulated sexual motivation	[143]
34	Garcinia cambogia Desr. (Clusiaceae)	Seeds	Biflavonoid and xanthone	Increase sperm count	[144]
35	Hibiscus sabdariffa  L.; (Malvaceae)	Flowers	Anthocyanins	Increase Sperm count	[145]
36	Hibiscus macranthus; Hochst. Ex A.Rich.; (Malvaceae)	Leaves	Terpenoid; or steroid compounds	Increased the blood testosterone concentrations	[128]
37	Kaempferia parviflora Wall. Ex. Baker; (Zingiberaceae)	Rhizomes	Alcohol extract	Increase in blood flow to the testis, Sexual behaviour	[146, 147]
38	Lepidium meyenii; Walpers (Brassicaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Spermatogenesis	[83]
39	Lophira laceolata (Ohanacea)	Stem Bark	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual behaviour	[148]
40	Lithospermum arvense L. (Boraginaceae)	Seed	Aqueous extract	Androgenic	[149]
41	Massularia acuminata  (G. Don) Bullock ex Hoyl. (Rubiaceae)	Stem	Aqueous extract	Stimulate male sexual maturation	[150]
42	Mondia whitei (Hook f.) Skeels. (Periplocaceae)	Roots	Aqueous extract	Increase in the testicular weight and serum and testicular testosterone	[151, 152]
43	Mucuna pruriens Baker; (Fabaceae)	Seed	Chloroform extract	Spermatogenic	[84]
44	Microdesmis keayana J.Léonard. (Pandaceae)	Roots	Keayanidine B and keayanine	Stimulate NO production	[153]
45	Montanoa tomentosa Cerv (Asteraceae)	Leaves and flowers	Aqueous extract	Improve sexual behaviour	[154]
46	Myristica fragrans; Houtt. (Myristicaceae)	Nutmeg	50% ethanolic extracts	Improve sexual behaviour	[155, 156]
47	Orchis latifolia Linn (Orchidaceae)	Roots	Aqueous extract,; Powder	Improve sexual behaviour	[140, 157]
48	Panax ginseng; C. A. Mayer (Araliaceae)	Roots	Ginsenosides,; saponin glycosides	Increase Nitric oxide central; nervous system action	[158]
49	Panax quinquefolium; L. (Araliaceae)	Roots	Powdered	Facilitate male copulatory; behavior	[159]
50	Pausinystalia yohimbe; Pierre ex Beille (Rubiaceae)	Bark	Yohimbine	Improve sexual behaviour; And penile erection	[160]
51	Peganum harmala L.; (Zygophyllaceae)	Seed	Powdered	Improve semen quality, Spermatogenesis and organ weight	[161]
52	Pentadiplandra brazzeana; Baill. (Capparidaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Serum and testicular testosterone levels testicular cholesterol, the seminal vesicular fructose	[162]
53	Pfaffia paniculata   (Martius) Kuntze; (Amaranthaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Increase serum testosterone	[163]
54	Piper Gnineense Schumach.  &  Thonn. (Piperaceae)	Fruits	Aqueous extract	Improvement of sexual behaviour	[114]
55	Psidium guajava Linn (Myrtaceae)	Leaves	Ethanol extract	Increase sperm count	[164]
56	Psoralea corylifolia L.; (Fabaceae)	Fruits	Aqueous extract	Increased sperm counts, induces spermatogenesis	[165]
57	Passiflora incarnate Linn (Passifloraceae)	Leaves	Methanolic extract	Increase sexual behaviour	[166]
58	Rubus coreanus Miq (Rosaceae)	Fruit	Powder	Enhancing spermatogenesis	[167]
59	Rhoicissus tridentata L.f. (Wild and R.B. Drumm); (Vitaceae)	Root bark	Chloroform and Ethanolic extract	Relaxed the corpus cavernosal smooth muscle	[168]
60	Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & Perry.	Flower bud	50% ethanolic extract	Increase sexual behaviour	[169]
61	Senecio cardiophyllus Hemsl (Asteraceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Increase the ejaculatory capacity	[170]
62	Salvia haematodes L.; (Lamiaceae)	Roots	Ethanolic extract	Increase sexual behaviour	[171]
63	Securidaca longepedunculata (Fresen) (Polygalaceae),	Root bark	Chloroform and Ethanolic extract	Relaxed the corpus cavernosal smooth muscle	[168]
64	Terminalia catappa Linn. (Combretaceae)	Seeds	Seed suspension	Increase sexual behaviour	[172]
65	Tribulus terrestris L.; (Zygophyllaceae)	Fruits	Protodioscin	Androgen increasing property	[101]
66	Tribulus alatus; Delile (Zygophyllaceae)	Aerial parts and fruits	70% alcoholic extract	Increase serum testosterone	[173]
67	Trichopus Zeylanicus; Gaertn (Trichopodaceae)	Leaf	Ethanolic extract	Stimulate sexual behaviour	[174]
68	Tricholepis glaberrima. DC (Compositae)	Aerial parts	Methanol extract	Stimulate sexual behaviour	[175]
69	Turnera diffusa Willd; (Turneraceae)	Leaf	30% ethanol in water (v : v),	Stimulate sexual behaviour	[176]
70	Vanda tessellate (Roxb.); Hook. Ex Don; (Orchidaceaae)	Root,; flower	Aqueous and ethanolic	Stimulate sexual behaviour	[177]
71	Wrightia natalensis  (Stapf) (Apocynaceae)	Root bark	Chloroform and Ethanolic extract	Relaxed the corpus cavernosal smooth muscle	[168]
72	Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal. (Solanaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Spermatogenesis	[49]
73	Zingiber officinale; Roscoe (Zingiberaceae)	Roots	Aqueous extract	Increase of both testis weight and serum testosterone; levels	[162]
74	Pueraria tuberosa DC; (Fabaceae)	tubers	Ethanolic extract	Stimulate sexual behavior	[178]
75	Spilanthes acmella; Murr. (Asteraceae)	flowers	Ethanolic extract	Stimulate sexual behavior	[179]
76	Pedalium murex Linn.; (Pedaliaceae)	fruits	Ethanolic extract	Stimulate sexual behavior	[180]
77	Dracaena arboreaI (Willd.); (Asparagaceae)	Roots	Aqueous and ethanolic extracts	inhibit the activity of the bulbospongiosus muscles	[181]
78	Allanblackia floribunda; Oliv. (Guttiferae)	Stem bark	Aqueous and ethanolic extracts	inhibit the activity of the bulbospongiosus muscles	[182]
79	Corchorus depressus Linn (Tiliaceae)	Whole plant	Chlorofrm fraction	Stimulate sexual behavior	[183]
80	Arctium lappa L (Asteraceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Stimulate sexual behavior	[184]
81	Musa paradisiacal L (Musaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Increase testosterone level	[185]
82	Lecaniodiscus cupanioides Planch.  (Sapindaceae)	Root	Aqueous extract	Increase testosterone level	[186]