Regulation of male sex hormones strongly heightens copulation behavior indices in rat's model administered Cocos nucifera husks extract

Background: Cocos nucifera (Coconut, Arecaceae family) is consumed as dietary fruit but little is known of it as sex enhancer. Objective: To investigate male sex hormones and copulation behavior indices in male Wistar rats administered husks extract. Materials and Methods: Rats were grouped into control A, and treatment B to E (n=4); and administered husks extract at vary-ing doses: 125mg/kg, 250mg/kg, 375mg/kg and 500mg/kg for 48days by oral intubation. Copulation behavior was assessed by introducing female rats to males (1:1) in a rectangular Plexiglas chamber and monitored by veterinary Anatomists. Blood samples for male sex hormones were collected and assayed by ELISA method. Results: Copulation behavior (500mg/kg treatment): mounting (9.66 +/- 0.79 to 29.08 +/- 2.16), ejaculation (7.66 +/- 0.38 to 16.93 +/- 0.76), intromission (22.01 +/- 1.67 to 38.11 +/- 3.35) frequencies, and ejaculation latency (7.92 +/- 0.43 to 12.28 +/- 0.41) increased remarkably (Group E). Correspondingly, mounting (133.31 +/- 1.18 to 93.39 +/- 0.43) and, intromission (88.13 +/- 3.12 to 74.55 +/- 1.19) latencies; post-ejaculation (3.16 +/- 0.14 to 2.18 +/- 0.34), inter-intromission (19.48 +/- 0.26 to 14.32 +/- 1.65) intervals reduced significant- ly (P <= 0.05). Testosterone levels (Group E) increased: 3.82 +/- 0.6ng/dL to 5.14 +/- 0.3ng/dL while, LH and FSH values reduced: 2.92 +/- 0.6IU/L to 2.13 +/- 0.3IU/L and 2.28 +/- 0.7IU/L to 1.58 +/- 0.3IU/L significantly (p <= 0.05) while changes were dose-related. Conclusion: C. nucifera husks extract improves sexuality indices by regulating male sex hormones in male Wistar rats.