Phlegmariurus saururus DECOCTION PROMOTES COPULATORY BEHAVIOR ON THE FEMALE WISTAR RATS

BRUENNER SOFIA; LAGARES CLARISA; MARIANA VALLEJOS; VALERIA PAOLA CARLINI; MARIEL AGNESE

San Juan

Congreso; XLI Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo; 2023

Sociedad de Biología de Cuyo

Phlegmariurus saururus, commonly known as “cola de quirquincho”, is a native species of Argentina, widely used in traditional medicine as an aphrodisiac. Previous research has shown that P. saururus decoction (PSD) has a pro-sexual effect in male Wistar rats at doses of 1,3,10 and 30 mg/kg. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the (PSD) on the sexual behavior of female Wistar rats using the “paced mating” model. This model is similar to what happens in nature where the female can escape from the male whenever she wants and, in this way, set the pace of copulation. Ovariectomized females were trained with a sexually expert male in a circular arena and then using the “paced mating” model that consists of a central circular arena connected to another compartment through 2 holes of approximately 4cm diameter. The female can move freely between the two compartments. However, the male cannot do this due to his larger size. Subsequently, the females were randomly divided into three groups (n=7). Water (Control Group) or PSD (Treatment groups) were administered orally in doses of 3 and 30 mg/kg. After 30 minutes of administration, a sexually expert male was introduced into the arena and sexual behavior was observed for a period of 40 minutes. The results showed that the decoction at 30 mg/kg significantly decreases the Contact-Return Latency after ejaculation (control: 14.58 ± 2.36; 30 mg/kg: 4.72 ± 1.38), which indicates that females initiate the second copulatory series more quickly. Furthermore, a significant increase was observed in the number of visits to the male compartment (control: 3.25 ± 0.96; 30 mg/kg: 10.67 ± 2.60) and in the number of paracopulatory behaviors of the female (jumps, darts and ear movement) after the first series (control: 2.66 ± 0.96; 30 mg/kg: 10.17 ± 2.67). The modification of these parameters indicates a motivation on the part of the females to restart and continue copulation. This was the first time that PSD was tested on female rats, so it is a very novel and promising result.