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Background <p>Sexual dysfunction, notably erectile dysfunction and reduced libido, remains a prevalent global health issue, arising from multifactorial etiologies including hormonal, neurochemical and vascular dysregulations. Previously, medicinal plants have been employed to enhance male reproductive capacity; however, rigorous pharmacological validation of their efficacy and mechanistic pathways is not yet understood. Elucidating the modulatory effects of plant-based aphrodisiacs on endocrine function and neurovascular signaling offers a pathway toward developing safer, plant-based alternatives to conventional agents.</p> Methods <p>This systematic review examined peer-reviewed pre-clinical and clinical investigations on plant-derived aphrodisiacs, following PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO ID: CRD420261308549. Bias risk was evaluated using Cochrane, ROBINS-I, SYRCLE risk of bias tool and Newcastle–Ottawa tools. Eligible studies reported effects on hormonal biomarkers [testosterone, FSH, LH], sexual behavioral endpoints, and mechanistic pathways such as nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, arginase regulation and neurotransmitter modulation. Data were synthesized narratively, integrating biochemical, hormonal, and behavioral findings.</p> Results <p>Several plants demonstrated significant reproductive benefits. <i>Mucuna pruriens</i> enhanced testosterone synthesis, sperm quality, and testicular mass via antioxidant activity and stimulation of steroidogenesis. <i>Tribulus terrestris</i> produced dose-dependent increases in testosterone, FSH, and LH, though high-dose regimens raised safety considerations. <i>Ginkgo biloba</i> and <i>Schumanniophyton magnificum</i> modulated neurochemical mediators, augmenting libido and erectile performance primarily through NO-dependent vasodilation and receptor interactions. Collectively, these agents exhibited convergent mechanisms involving endocrine upregulation, oxidative stress attenuation, and neurochemical modulation.</p> Conclusion <p>Ethnopharmacological evidence underscores the potential of plant-derived aphrodisiacs to enhance male reproductive health through multifactorial mechanisms. Despite robust preclinical findings, translational application requires well-powered, standardized clinical trials to define optimal dosing, safety profiles, and molecular targets. Strategic integration of these plants into reproductive health frameworks may yield effective, culturally acceptable, and mechanistically rational alternatives to synthetic pharmacotherapies.</p>

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Preclinical Evidence on Plant-Derived Aphrodisiacs and Male Reproductive Function: Mechanisms, Hormonal Modulation, and Translational Implications

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月23日

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  • Merry Edah,
  • Benjamin Oritsemuelebi,
  • Awhin E. Prosper,
  • Jerome Ndudi. Asiwe,
  • Costantino Parisi,
  • Corrado Pane,
  • Giulia Guerriero,
  • Orish Ebere Orisakwe

摘要

Background

Sexual dysfunction, notably erectile dysfunction and reduced libido, remains a prevalent global health issue, arising from multifactorial etiologies including hormonal, neurochemical and vascular dysregulations. Previously, medicinal plants have been employed to enhance male reproductive capacity; however, rigorous pharmacological validation of their efficacy and mechanistic pathways is not yet understood. Elucidating the modulatory effects of plant-based aphrodisiacs on endocrine function and neurovascular signaling offers a pathway toward developing safer, plant-based alternatives to conventional agents.

Methods

This systematic review examined peer-reviewed pre-clinical and clinical investigations on plant-derived aphrodisiacs, following PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO ID: CRD420261308549. Bias risk was evaluated using Cochrane, ROBINS-I, SYRCLE risk of bias tool and Newcastle–Ottawa tools. Eligible studies reported effects on hormonal biomarkers [testosterone, FSH, LH], sexual behavioral endpoints, and mechanistic pathways such as nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, arginase regulation and neurotransmitter modulation. Data were synthesized narratively, integrating biochemical, hormonal, and behavioral findings.

Results

Several plants demonstrated significant reproductive benefits. Mucuna pruriens enhanced testosterone synthesis, sperm quality, and testicular mass via antioxidant activity and stimulation of steroidogenesis. Tribulus terrestris produced dose-dependent increases in testosterone, FSH, and LH, though high-dose regimens raised safety considerations. Ginkgo biloba and Schumanniophyton magnificum modulated neurochemical mediators, augmenting libido and erectile performance primarily through NO-dependent vasodilation and receptor interactions. Collectively, these agents exhibited convergent mechanisms involving endocrine upregulation, oxidative stress attenuation, and neurochemical modulation.

Conclusion

Ethnopharmacological evidence underscores the potential of plant-derived aphrodisiacs to enhance male reproductive health through multifactorial mechanisms. Despite robust preclinical findings, translational application requires well-powered, standardized clinical trials to define optimal dosing, safety profiles, and molecular targets. Strategic integration of these plants into reproductive health frameworks may yield effective, culturally acceptable, and mechanistically rational alternatives to synthetic pharmacotherapies.