The benign prostate hyperplasia medication WS^®1541 positively influences sexual behavior in a stress-induced model in rats

WS^®1541, a phytopharmaceutical combination of extracts from Sabal serrulata fruits (WS^®1473) and Urtica dioica roots (WS^®1031), used for treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) in men. This process is frequently accompanied by a disturbance of the sexual function, which can also be caused by stress from the clinical picture and the associated fear of sexual failure.To investigate if WS^®1541 has a positive effect on the sexual behavior in rats, we used a stress-induced sexual behavior model, which leads to a reduction of libido. In this experiment male rats were exposed once daily for 3 days to a 30 minutes interruption of the light/dark cycle, 60 minutes after treatment. The animals were treated daily with WS^®1541 (100, 300, 900 mg/kg) or vehicle over three consecutive days one hour before stress. For the measurement of sexual behavior males were placed for 12 minutes together with estrus synchronized ovarectomized females. The total number of mounts and of licking the penis was counted. In the stressed group treated with vehicle a significant decrease of the total number of mounts and of licking the penis in comparison with the vehicle treated unstressed group was observed. The treatment with WS^®1541 significantly antagonized the sexual dysfunction in a dose dependent manner in comparison with the vehicle treated stressed group.

▶Tab. 1

These results demonstrate that WS^®1541 used for the treatment of BPH also reduces sexual dysfunction in a stress-induced rodent model. These results should now also be investigated in a BPH model together with a stress induction.