TREATMENT EFFECT OF RYU-WEI-TI-HUANG-WAN (A CHINESE HERBAL PRESCRIPTION) ON THE SEXUAL PERFORMANCE OF MALE-RATS WITH STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCEDDIABETES

The treatment effect of 'ryu-wei-ti-huang-wan', a Chinese prescription composed of extracts from six plants, on diabetic impotence was evalu ated in the present study. Adult male Wistar rats were divided into th ree groups: (1) rats rendered diabetic with a single intraperitoneal i njection of streptozotocin (60 mg/kg body weight); (2) rats with strep tozotocin-induced diabetes treated with a ryu-wei-ti-huang-wan powder preparation at a dose of 30 mg powder/kg body weight twice a day, and (3) control rats. A male rat was caged with an adult ovariectomized fe male rat during the d ark cycle. Infra-red-light-illuminated video rec ording was utilized to evaluate the sexual performance. The diabetic r ats exhibited depressed mounting activity and no intromission or ejacu lation. After ryu-wei-ti-huang-wan treatment either for 1 day or 2 wee ks, the diabetic rats showed significant improvement in mounting perfo rmance with preservation of intromission and ejaculation. No significa nt difference in the blood sugar level was noted between the treatment and non-treatment groups. In conclusion, the diabetic rats showed imp airment in sexual arousal, erectile as well as ejaculatory functions. Ryu-wei-ti-huang-wan was effective in preserving these functions with a rapid onset. It is evident that the extracts exert the therapeutic e ffects not through a lowering of blood sugar. These substances are pot entially useful in the clinical treatment of male diabetic impotence.