Abstract
The awakening in the role of medicinal plants in health care delivery in developing countries has led to increasing need for research in traditional medicine, with a prospect of incorporating it into modern medicine. In the present study, the effect of aqueous stem bark extract of Ficus sycomorus was evaluated on sex hormones (estradiol and progesterone) and sexual behaviour (lordosis quotient) in female Wistar rats. Adult female rats having regular estrous cycle confirmed by daily cytology of the vaginal smear analysis were used. Rats were divided into 3 groups (n=10). Group I served as a control, while group II, and III received 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg of the extracts, respectively for a period of 14 days. The results revealed significant increase (p<0.5) in serum concentration of the estradiol in group II at estrus phase compared to control (549.40 ± 23.64 pg/ml) and a significant decrease (p<0.5) in serum concentration of estradiol in group III in comparison with the control (244.60 ± 13.90 pg/ml). Similarly, there was a significant decrease (p<0.5) in serum level of progesterone at low dose in the estrus phase and an increase in progesterone (ng/ml) at high dose (group III) in estrus phase in comparison with the control though not statistically significant. There was no significant difference observed in Lordosis quotient both at high dose and low dose of the extract in comparison to the control (54.00 ± 11.40%; 58.00 ± 8.37%) even though there was a slight increase in the high dose treated group. The result indicated that the extract had no effect on female sexual behavior, which may suggest no scientific basis for the use of the extract as an aphrodisiac in females.

Key words: Ficus sycomorus, Aphrodisiac, Estradiol, Progesterone, Lordosis quotient