Chromatin condensation but not DNA integrity of pig sperm is greater in the sperm-rich fraction

Background Protamination and condensation of sperm chromatin as well as DNA integrity play an essential role during fertilization and embryo development.In some mammals,like pigs,ejaculates are emitted in three separate fractions:pre-sperm,sperm-rich(SRF)and post sperm-rich(PSRF).These fractions are known to vary in volume,sperm concentration and quality,as well as in the origin and composition of seminal plasma(SP),with differences being also observed within the SRF one.Yet,whether disparities in the DNA integrity and chromatin condensation and pro-tamination of their sperm exist has not been interrogated.Results This study determined chromatin protamination(Chromomycin A3 test,CMA_(3)),condensation(Dibromobi-mane test,DBB),and DNA integrity(Comet assay)in the pig sperm contained in the first 10 m L of the SRF(SRF-P1),the remaining portion of the sperm-rich fraction(SRF-P2),and the post sperm-rich fraction(PSRF).While chromatin protamination was found to be similar between the different ejaculate fractions(P>0.05),chromatin condensation was seen to be greater in SRF-P1 and SRF-P2 than in the PSRF(P=0.018 and P=0.004,respectively).Regarding DNA integrity,no differences between fractions were observed(P>0.05).As the SRF-P1 has the highest sperm concentra-tion and ejaculate fractions are known to differ in antioxidant composition,the oxidative stress index(OSi)in SP,calcu-lated as total oxidant activity divided by total antioxidant capacity,was tested and confirmed to be higher in the SRF-P1 than in SRF-P2 and PSRF(0.42±0.06 vs.0.23±0.09 and 0.08±0.00,respectively;P<0.01);this index,in addition,was observed to be correlated to the sperm concentration of each fraction(Rs=0.973;P<0.001).Conclusion While sperm DNA integrity was not found to differ between ejaculate fractions,SRF-P1 and SRF-P2 were observed to exhibit greater chromatin condensation than the PSRF.This could be related to the OSi of each fraction.

Differential expression of VASA gene in ejaculated spermatozoa from normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia

Aim： To detect the expression of VASA in human ejaculated spermatozoa, and to compare the expression of VASA between normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia. Methods： Ejaculated spermatozoa were collected from normozoospermic men and patients with oligozoospermia by masturbation, and subsequently segregated through a discontinuous gradient of Percoll to obtain the spermatozoa. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （RT- PCR）, quantitative RT-PCR （QRT-PCR）, immunoflurescence and Western blotting were used to detect the expression of VASA in mRNA and protein levels. Results： VASA mRNA was expressed in the ejaculated spermatozoa. QRT-PCR analysis showed that VASA mRNA level was approximately 5-fold higher in normozoospermic men than that in oligozoospermic men. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting analysis showed that VASA protein was located on the cytoplasmic membrane of heads and tails of spermatozoa, and its expression was significantly decreased in oligozoospermic men, which is similar to the result of QRT-PCR. Conclusion： The expression of VASA mRNA and protein was significantly decreased in the sperm of oligozoospermic men, which suggested the lower expression of the VASA gene might be associated with pathogenesis in some subtypes of male infertility and VASA could be used as a molecular marker for the diagnosis of male infertility.

射精功能障碍

在射精功能障碍(ejaculatory dysfunction)中,早泄(premature ejaculation,PE),射精延迟(delayed ejaculation,DE),不射精(anejaculation,AE)和逆行射精(retrograde ejaculation,RE)是最为常见的射精功能障碍类型,其他还包括高潮障碍(orgasmic disorder)、射精疼痛(painful ejaculation)、射精后综合征(postorgasmic illness syndrome)等少见情况[1],根据临床的常见情况,本文重点介绍PE和DE。

Effect of Selective Dorsal Neurectomy on Erectile Function in Rats

Objective This study aimed to investigate the effect of penile selective dorsal neurectomy(SDN)on erectile function in rats.Methods Twelve adult male Sprague-Dawley rats(15 weeks old)were divided into three groups(n=4 per group):in control group,rats received no treatment;in sham group,rats underwent a sham operation;in SDN group,rats underwent SDN with half of the dorsal penile nerve severed.The mating test was performed,and the intracavernous pressure(ICP)assessed six weeks after the surgical treatment.Results At postoperative six weeks,the mating test revealed no significant difference in mounting latency and mounting frequency among the three groups(P>0.05),while the ejaculation latency(EL)was significantly longer and ejaculation frequency(EF)lower in the SDN group than in the control and sham groups(P<0.05).There were no significant differences in preoperative and postoperative ICP and ICP/mean arterial blood pressure(MAP)among the three groups(P>0.05).Conclusion SDN does not adversely affect the erectile function and sexual desire of rats,and at the same time it can reduce EL and EF,providing an application basis for SDN in the clinical treatment of premature ejaculation.

Assessment of the Quality of Frozen-Thawed Semen or Epididymal Sperm in Three Native Vietnamese Pig Breeds

Our aim was to evaluate the quality of ejaculated and epididymal frozen-thawed pig sperm of endangered Vietnam native pig breeds. Ejaculated sperm was collected from live boars and epididymal sperm was collected from slaughtered boars of the MuongTe, Kieng Sat and Co BinhThuan breeds and frozen in 0.25 ml straws using a protocol established earlier for modern pig breeds. We evaluated the sperm quality after thawing in terms of motility and rates of viable and abnormal spermatozoa. Our results revealed that the sperm motility and rates of viable and abnormal frozen-thawed sperm were >30%, >44%, and <14%, respectively. The origin of sperm had an effect on the production of pig embryos in vitro. In the Co BinhThuan breed, ejaculated sperm generated higher cleavage, blastocyst and hatching rates than did the epididymal sperm (60.11% vs 56.02%, 17.23% vs 14.31%, 3.78% vs 2.34%, respectively, P < 0.05). Although no difference in cleavage rate, blastocyst formation rate and the average number of cells/blastocysts, the hatching blastocyst rate was different between the breeds (P > 0.05). In the Co BinhThuan breed, the rate of pregnancy of ejaculated groups was similar to that of the epididymal group. In conclusion, the ejaculated and epididymal sperm of native Vietnamese pigs were successfully frozen. We succeeded in creating embryos in vitro and pregnant pigs after artificial insemination from frozen-thawed semen in three native Vietnamese pig breeds for the first time. The use of the ejaculated sperm improved the production of native pig embryos in vitro efficiency.

Sexual function of premature ejaculation patients assayed with Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation

Aim: To assess the psychometric properties of the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE). Methods: The sexual function of 167 patients with and 114 normai controls without premature ejaculation (PE) were evaluated with CIPE. All subjects were married and had regular sexual activity. The CIPE has 10 questions, focusing on libido, erectile function, ejaculatory latency, sexual satisfaction and difficulty in delaying ejaculation, self-confi dence and depression. Each question was responded to on a 5 point Likert-type scale. The individual question score and the total scale score were analyzed between the two groups. Results: There were no significant differences between the age, duration of marriage and educational level (P > 0.05) of patients with and vvithout PE and normai controls. The mean latency of patients with PE and normai controls were 1.6±1.2 and 10.2±9.5 minutes, respectively. Significant differences between patients with (26.7±4.6) PE and normai controls (41.9±4.0) were observed on the total score of CIPE (P < 0.01). Using binary logistic regression analysis, PE was significantly related to five questions of the original measure. They are the so-called the CIPE-5 and include: ejaculatory latency, sexual satisfaction of patients and sexual partner, difficulty in delaying ejaculation, anxiety and depression. Receiver Operat ing Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis of CIPE-5 questionnaire indicated that the sensitivity and specificity of CIPE were 97.60 % and 94.74 %, respectively. Employing the total score of CIPE-5, patients with PE could be divided into three groups: mild (>15 point) 19.8 %, moderate (10-14 point) 62.8 % and severe (< 9 point) 16.7 %. Conclusion: The CIPE-5 is a useful method for the evaluation of sexual function of patients with PE and can be used as a clinical endpoint for clinical trials studying the efficacy of pharmacologica] intervention.

New insights on premature ejaculation： a review of ：lefinition, classification, prevalence and treatmeni

There are ongoing debates about the definition, classification and prevalence of premature ejaculation （PE）. The first evidence-based definition of PE was limited to heterosexual men with lifelong PE who engage in vaginal intercourse. Unfortunately, many patients with the complaint of PE do not meet these criteria. However, these men can be diagnosed as one of the PE subtypes, namely acquired PE, natural variable PE or premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction. Nevertheless, the validity of these subtypes has not yet been supported by evidence. The absence of a universally accepted PE definition and lack of standards for data acquisition have resulted in prevalence studies that have reported conflicting rates. The very high prevalence of 20%-30% is probably due to the vague terminology used in the definitions at the time when such surveys were conducted. Although many men may complain of PE when questioned for a population-based prevalence study, only a few of them will actively seek treatment for their complaint, even though most of these patients would define symptoms congruent with PE. The complaints of acquired PE patients may be more severe, whereas complaints of patients experiencing premature-like ejaculatory dysfunction seem to be least severe among men with various forms of PE. Although numerous treatment modalities have been proposed for management of PE, only antidepressants and topical anaesthetic creams have currently been proven to be effective. However, as none of the treatment modalities have been approved by the regulatory agencies, further studies must be carried to develop a beneficial treatment strategy for PE.

Premature ejaculation： current and future treatments

Premature ejaculation （PE） is recognized to be the most common male sexual disorder. PE provides difficulties for professionals who treat this condition because there is neither a universally accepted definition nor a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration （FDA）. Despite these shortcomings, physicians continue to diagnose their patients with PE according to major guidelines and treat them with either behavioral therapies or off-label medications. This review focuses on current and emerging treatment options and medications for PE. Advantages and limitations of each treatment option are discussed in the light of current published peer-reviewed literature.

Male sexual dysfunction in Asia

Sex has always been a taboo subject in Asian society. However, over the past few years, awareness in the field of men＇s sexual health has improved, and interest in sexual health research has recently increased. The epidemiology and prevalence of erectile dysfunction, hypogonadism and premature ejaculation in Asia are similar in the West. However, several issues are specific to Asian males, including culture and beliefs, awareness, compliance and the availability of traditional/complementary medicine. In Asia, sexual medicine is still in its infancy, and a concerted effort from the government, relevant societies, physicians and the media is required to propel sexual medicine to the forefront of health care.

Possible association of the 5-HTTLPR serotonin transporter promoter gene polymorphism with premature ejaculation in a Turkish population

We evaluated the genotypes of the serotonin transporter gene （5-HTT） in patients with premature ejaculation （PE） to determine the role of genetic factors in the etiopathogenesis of PE and possibly to identify the patient subgroups. A total of 70 PE patients and 70 controls were included in this study. All men were heterosexual, had no other disorders and were either married or in a stable relationship. PE was defined as ejaculation that occurred within 1 min of vaginal intromission. Genomic DNA from patients and controls was analyzed using polymerase chain reaction, and allelic variations of the promoter region of the serotonin transporter gene （5-HTTLPR） were determined. The 5-HTTLPR （serotonin transporter promoter gene） genotypes in PE patients vs. controls were distributed as follows： L/L 16% vs. 17%, L/S 30% vs. 53% and S/S 54% vs. 28%. We examined the haplotype analysis for three polymorphisms of the 5-HTTLPR gene： LL, LS and SS. The appropriateness of the allele frequencies in the 5-HTTLPR gene was analyzed by the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium using the Z-test. The short （S） allele of the 5-HTTLPR gene was significantly more frequent in PE patients than in controls （P 〈 0.05）. We suggest that the 5-HTTLPR gene plays a role in the pathophysiology of all primary PE cases. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relationship between 5-HTTLPR gene polymorphism and patient subgroup （such as primary and secondary PE） responses to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors as well as ethnic differences.

HoLEP does not affect the overall sexual function of BPH patients： a prospective study

We aimed to prospectively evaluate the influence of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate （HoLEP） on the overall postoperative sexual function of benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） patients with lower urinary tract symptoms （LUTS） and to explore the relationship between sexual function and LUTS. From January 2010 to December 2011, sixty sexually active consecutive patients with BPH who underwent HoLEP were prospectively enrolled in the study. All patients filled out the Male Sexual Health Questionnaire （MSHQ） for evaluation of their overall sexual function and the International Prostatic Symptom Score （IPSS） for pre- and post-operative 6 months evaluation of their voiding symptoms. The LUTS and sexual function changes were statistically analyzed. The preoperative and 6 months postoperative status of the patients was compared using uroflowmetry and IPSS questionnaires. The analysis revealed significant improvements following HoLEP. Among the sub-domains of the MSHQ, postoperative sexual function, including erection, ejaculation, sexual satisfaction, anxiety or sexual desire, did not significantly change after HoLEP （P 〉 0.05）, whereas satisfaction scores decreased slightly due to retrograde ejaculation in 38 patients （63.3%）. Sexual satisfaction improved significantly and was correlated with the improvements of all LUTS and the quality-of-life （QoL） domains in IPSS after surgery （QoL; relative risk [RR]： -0.293; total symptoms, RR： -0.411; P 〈 0.05）. The nocturia score was associated with the erectile function score （odds ratio 0.318, P = 0.029）. The change in ejaculatory scores did not show significant association with IPSS scores. HoLEP did not influence overall sexual function, including erectile function. In addition, sexual satisfaction improved in proportion with the improvement of LUTS.

Vlale sexual dysfunction and infertility associated with neurological disorders

Normal sexual and reproductive functions depend largely on neurological mechanisms. Neurological defects in men can cause infertility through erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and semen abnormalities. Among the major conditions contributing to these symptoms are pelvic and retroperitoneal surgery, diabetes, congenital spinal abnormalities, multiple sclerosis and spinal cord injury, Erectile dysfunction can be managed by an increasingly invasive range of treatments including medications, injection therapy and the surgical insertion of a penile implant. Retrograde ejaculation is managed by medications to reverse the condition in mild cases and in bladder harvest of semen after ejaculation in more severe cases. Anejaculation might also be managed by medication in mild cases while assisted ejaculatory techniques including penile vibratory stimulation and eiectroejaculation are used in more severe cases. If these measures fail, surgical sperm retrieval can be attempted. Ejaculation with penile vibratory stimulation can be done by some spinal cord injured men and their partners at home, followed by in-home insemination if circumstances and sperm quality are adequate. The other options always require assisted reproductive techniques including intrauterine insemination or in vitrofertilization with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection. The method of choice depends largely on the number of motile sperm in the ejaculate.

Comparison of paroxetine and dapoxetine, a novel selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in the treatment of premature ejaculation

Dapoxetine hydrochloride is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor and the first drug approved for the on-demand treatment of premature ejaculation （PE）, Our objective in this study was to characterize the efficacy of on-demand dapoxetine （30 and 60 mg） and daily paroxetine （20 mg） usage in treating PE, We conducted a 1 month study involving a total of 150 patients. Patients were divided into three groups of 50, Group 1 were treated with on-demand dapoxetine （30 mg）, Group 2 with on-demand dapoxetine （60 mg） and Group 3 with daily paroxetine （20 rag）, Our outcome measurement was increased from baseline intravaginal ejaculatory latency time （IELT） after treatment, The IELT increased from baseline to posttreatment by 117%, 117% and 170% in the paroxetine group （P 〈 0,01）, 30 mg dapoxetine group （P 〈 0,01） and 60 mg dapoxetine group （P 〈 0.01）, respectively, The increase from baseline IELT were similar for the 30 mg dapoxetine and paroxetine groups （P 〉 0,05）, while the 60 mg dapoxetine group had a larger posttreatment IELT increase compared with the 30 mg dapoxetine （P〈 0.05） and paroxetine （P〈 0.01） groups, Dapoxetine （60 mg） 1-3 h before planned intercourse is a very effective treatment modality for PE. However, an on-demand dose of 30 mg dapoxetine is no more effective than the currently prescribed paroxetine treatment.

Efficacy and safety of local anaesthetics for prematurejaculation： a systematic review and meta-analysis

To assess the efficacy and safety of local anaesthetics for premature ejaculation （PE）, a systematic review of the literature was performed using the Cochrane Library, PUBMED and EMBASE. We screened and retrieved the randomized controlled trials on the treatment of PE with local anaesthetics. End points included intravaginal ejaculation latency time （IELT）, patient-reported outcome assessments and adverse events. Meta-analyses were conducted with Stata 11.0. In total, seven publications involving 566 patients with local anaesthetics and 388 with placebos strictly met our eligibility criteria. Meta-analyses showed that after the patients were treated with the local anaesthetics, the value of the standardized mean difference of the changes in IELT was 5.02 （95% Ch 3.03- 7.00）. A higher rate of adverse events occurred compared with placebos （odds ratio： 3.30, 95% Ch 1.71-6.36）, but these events were restricted to local side effects. In addition, significantly greater improvement was observed in patient-reported outcomes. In summary, local anaesthetics can prolong IELT and improve ejaculatory control and sexual satisfaction.

Ejaculatory dysfunction in men with diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus(DM)is a metabolic disorder that is characterized by elevated blood glucose levels due to absolute or relative insulin deficiency,in the background ofβ-cell dysfunction,insulin resistance,or both.Such chronic hyperglycemia is linked to long-term damage to blood vessels,nerves,and various organs.Currently,the worldwide burden of DM and its complications is in increase.Male sexual dysfunction is one of the famous complications of DM,including abnormal orgasmic/ejaculatory functions,desire/libido,and erection.Ejaculatory dysfunction encompasses several disorders related to DM and its complications,such as premature ejaculation,anejaculation(AE),delayed ejaculation,retrograde ejaculation(RE),ejaculatory pain,anesthetic ejaculation,decreased ejaculate volume,and decreased force of ejaculation.The problems linked to ejaculatory dysfunction may extend beyond the poor quality of life in diabetics as both AE and RE are alleged to alter the fertility potential of these patients.However,although both diabetes patients and their physicians are increasingly aware of diabetic ejaculatory dysfunction,this awareness still lags behind that of other diabetes complications.Therefore,all these disorders should be looked for thoroughly during the clinical evaluation of diabetic men.Besides,introducing the suitable option and/or maneuvers to treat these disorders should be tailored according to each case.This review aimed to explore the most important findings regarding ejaculatory dysfunction in diabetes from pre-clinical and clinical perspectives.

Management of ejaculatory disorders in infertile men

Ejaculatory dysfunction is a highly prevalent clinical condition that may be classified along a continuum that ranges from premature ejaculation （PE）, through retarded or delayed ejaculation （DE）, to complete anejaculation （AE）. Retrograde ejaculation （RE） represents a distinct entity in which ejaculate is expelled either partially or completely into the bladder. While DE and PE are significant sources of sexual dissatisfaction among men and their partners, patients with these disorders retain normal fertility in most cases. Conversely, men with AE and RE are unable to deliver sperm into the female genital tract and are therefore rendered subfertile. Therefore, in reviewing ejaculatory disorders as they relate to fertility, this paper will primarily focus on the diagnosis and management of AE and RE. Physiology, diagnostic strategies, pharmacological treatments, and procedural interventions relevant to AE and RE are discussed.

Epidemiology of Sexual dysfunction in Asia compared to the rest of the world

There have been a limited number of epidemiological studies published on sexual disorders in persons from Asia. This paper aims to assess the reports of sexual dysfunction epidemiological studies published in the English language that involved Asian countries. Key points are summarized in this paper from nine epidemiological papers on sexual dysfunction from Asia that were published in the English language. Seven met the criteria for evidence-based studies reaching a Prins score of at least 10 or more. Papers included in this report came from national and regional representative studies in peer review journals. These results for sexual dysfunction in the nine papers are summarized for various sexual dysfunctions in men and women in Asian countries. In three of these, worldwide data were presented in the same paper allowing comparisons with Asian data on prevalence rates. Detailed descriptions from each of these studies are presented in paragraph form. More detailed data on erectile dysfunction （ED） is presented in a tabular form. Collectively, there seems to be a need for country- and population-specific further descriptive and analytical epidemiological studies in all of the sexual disorders from Asia. This critical review paper should help guide these studies for reachinj[ evidence-based literature standards.

A new potential risk factor in patients with erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation： folate deficiency

We investigated serum folic acid （FA） levels in patients with erectile dysfunction （ED） and/or premature ejaculation （PE）. Fasting serum samples were obtained from 42 patients with ED, 36 with PE, 25 ED patients with PE, and 30 healthy men; the mean intravaginal ejaculation latency time （IELT） was measured during a 4 weeks baseline period. Levels of sex hormones （follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, total testosterone）, homocysteine （Hcys）, and FA were measured using chemiluminescent immunoassays. The sexual functions of PE patients and normal control men were evaluated using the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation （CIPE）. The abridged Intemational Index of Erectile Function-5 （IIEF-5） questionnaire was used to gauge erectile quality for ED patients and for normal controls. Serum FA concentrations were lower in ED （7.61 ~ 3.97 ng ml-1）, PE （9.37 ＋ 3.40 ng ml-1）, and ED/PE （8.84 ＋ 4.28 ng m1-1） patients than in healthy men （12.23 ~ 5.76 ng ml-z, P〈 0.05）. No significant differences in sex hormone levels were found between patients with sexual dysfunction and healthy controls （P 〉 0.05）. There were positive correlations between serum FA concentrations and ClPE scores （r= 0.530, P〈 0.01）, IIEF-5 scores （r= 0.589, P〈 0.01）, and IELT （r= 0.445, P〈 0.01）; negative correlations with Hcys concentrations （r= -0.487, P〈 0.01） were found in all participants. These findings showed a strong relationship between serum FA levels and sexual dysfunction, possibly due to an effect of FA on the metabolism of nitric oxide, Hcys, and 5-hydroxytryptamine.

Prevalence of premature ejaculation in young and middle-aged men in Korea： a multicenter intemet-based survey from the Korean Andrological Society

In this study, we aimed to investigate the prevalence and perception of premature ejaculation （PE） in young and middle-aged Korean men. The study was conducted using an Internet-assisted questionnaire. A total of 2 037 Korean male adults, aged 20 years or older, were randomly sampled based on age and residency. The questionnaire developed by the PE Study Group of the Korean Andrological Society includes four categories （overall sexual function, symptoms, distress and treatment） with a total of 16 questions. For each question, symptoms were evaluated by a scale ranging from 0 to 10. Intravaginal ejaculation latency time was ‘5-10 min＇ in 38.6%, followed by ‘longer than 10 min＇ in 2919%, ‘2-5 min＇ in 23.6%, ‘1-2 min＇ in 5.4% and ‘shorter than 1 min＇ in 2.5%. In our series, 27.5% of respondents reported having PE. Control over ejaculation within a recent 3-month period was 6.2 points on average. Respondent complaints of PE-related stress averaged 7.1 points and stress-related complaints from sexual partners averaged 7.1 points. The effect of PE on sexual life was 6.8 points. Of the respondents determined as having PE, 42.6% responded that they were inclined to receive treatment. Results from this study suggest that the prevalence of PE diagnosed by the respondent on his own was approximately 27.5% in young and middle-aged men in Korea. PE-related stress had a significant effect on the stress, sexual activity and quality of life of the respondent and his sexual partner.

Effects of Terminalia catappa seeds on sexual behaviour and fertility of male rats

Aim: To evaluate the aphrodisiac potential of Terminalia catappa Linn. seeds using a suspension of its kernel (SS)in 1% methyl cellulose in rats. Methods: Male rots were orally treated with 1500 mg/kg or 3000 mg/kg SS or ve-hicle, and their sexual behaviour was monitored 3 h later using a receptive female. Another group of rats was orallytreated with either 3000 mg/kg SS or vehicle for 7 consecutive days. Their sexual behaviour and fertility were evaluatedon days 1, 4 and 7 of treatment and day 7 post-treatment by pairing overnight with a pro-oestrous female. Results:The 1500 mg/kg dose, had a marked aphrodisiac action (prolongation of ejaculation latency) but no effect on libido(% mounting, % intromission and % ejaculation), sexual vigour (mounting-and-intromission frequency), or sexualperformance (intercopulatory interval). In contrast, the higher dose (3000 mg/kg) reversibly inhibited all the para?e-ten of sexual behaviour other than mounting-and-intromission frequency and copulatory efficiency. The effects of highdose SS were not due to general toxicity, liver toxicity, haemotoxicity, stress, muscle deficiency, muscle incoordina-fion, analgesia, hypoglycaemia or reduction in blood testosterone level. They were due to marked sedation. Conclu-sion: The kernel of T. catappa seeds has aphrodisiac activity and may be useful in the treatment of certain forms ofsexual inadequacies, such as premature ejaculation.