Dietary supplementation of tiger nut alters biochemical parameters relevant to erectile function in l-NAME treated rats

Food Res Int. 2018 Jul:109:358-367. doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2018.04.046. Epub 2018 Apr 22.

Abstract

Tiger nut tubers have been reportedly used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) in folk medicine without scientific basis. Hence, this study evaluated the effect of tiger nut on erectile dysfunction by assessing biochemical parameters relevant to ED in male rats by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, Nω-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l-NAME) treatment. Rats were divided into five groups (n = 10) each: Control group; l-NAME plus basal diet; l-NAME plus Sildenafil citrate; diet supplemented processed tiger nut (20%) plus l-NAME;diet supplemented raw tiger nut (20%) plus l-NAME. l-NAME pre-treatment (40 mg/kg/day) lasted for 14 days. Arginase, acetycholinesterase (AChE) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) activities as well as nitric oxide levels (NO) in serum, brain and penile tissue were measured. l-NAME increased the activity of arginase, AChE and ADA and reduced NO levels. However, dietary supplementation with tiger nut caused a reduction on the activities of the above enzymes and up regulated nitric oxide levels when compared to the control group. The effect of tiger nut supplemented diet may be said to prevent alterations of the activities of the enzymes relevant in erectile function. Quercetin was revealed to be the most active component of tiger nut tuber by HPLC finger printing.

Keywords: Acetylcholine iodide (PubChemCID: 75271); Acetylcholinesterase; Adenosine (PubChemCID: 60961); Adenosine deaminase; Albumin (PubChemCID: 16132389); Ammonium sulfate (PubChemCID: 6097028); Arginase; Malondialdehyde (PubChemCID: 10964); Nitric oxide; Nitric oxide (PubChemCID: 145068); Quercetin; Sulfanilamide (PubChemCID: 5333); Tiger nut; Vanadium chloride (PubChemCID: 62647); l-NAME; l-NAME (PubChemCID: 39836); l-arginine (PubChemCID: 6322).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylcholinesterase / blood
  • Adenosine Deaminase / blood
  • Animal Feed*
  • Animals
  • Arginase / blood
  • Brain / drug effects
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cyperus / chemistry*
  • Dietary Supplements*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Erectile Dysfunction / chemically induced
  • Erectile Dysfunction / metabolism
  • Erectile Dysfunction / physiopathology
  • Erectile Dysfunction / prevention & control*
  • GPI-Linked Proteins / blood
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / blood
  • NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester*
  • Nitric Oxide / blood
  • Penile Erection / drug effects*
  • Penis / drug effects*
  • Penis / metabolism
  • Penis / physiopathology
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Tubers / chemistry
  • Quercetin / isolation & purification
  • Quercetin / pharmacology*
  • Rats, Wistar

Substances

  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Plant Extracts
  • Nitric Oxide
  • Quercetin
  • Acetylcholinesterase
  • Ache protein, rat
  • Arginase
  • Ada protein, rat
  • Adenosine Deaminase
  • NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester