The sexual enhancing properties of garlic chive

In recent years, an increasing number of studies have shown that several plant species can be used to remedy sexual dysfunction. One such study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, focused on the garlic chive (Allium tuberosum), a popular medicinal plant with purported aphrodisiac effects.

• Garlic chive extract was obtained by powdering seeds and sequentially extracting them with hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol.
• Both male and female Wistar rats were used for the experiments. The male rats were randomly divided into six groups consisting of six animals. Group one was only given water, while group two (the control group) was allotted five mg/kg of Viagra. Groups three, four, five, and six were treated with 50, 100, 200, and 500 mg/kg of garlic chive extract, respectively.
• Daily administration of the Viagra and garlic chive extract was carried out for 45 days. Exposure to sexually receptive females for the sexual behavior study occurred on the 15th, 30th, and 45th days. Parameters of this study included mount latency, intromission latency, ejaculation latency, ejaculation frequency, post-ejaculatory interval, and penile licking.
• The 400 mg/kg dose of garlic chive extract relaxed the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle by 68.9 percent, compared to the 100 percent relaxant effect of Viagra. This same dose also increased the rats’ testicular hormone levels and penile potency.
• All doses of garlic chive extract decreased mount latency and intromission latency to some degree. As noted by the researchers, a decline in these parameters was indicative of enhanced sexual stimulation and motivation.
• These effects are believed to have been caused by steroidal saponins and nucleosides, which stimulated testosterone production and in turn improved the rats’ sexual motivation and capabilities. The boost in testosterone can relax the corpus cavernosum smooth muscle as well and promote blood flow and retention into the penis.

Thus, the researchers concluded that garlic chive extract can be utilized as an aphrodisiac.

Read the full text of the study at this link.

Journal reference

Tang X, Olatunji PJ, Zhou Y, Hou X. IN VITRO AND IN VIVO APHRODISIAC PROPERTIES OF THE SEED EXTRACT FROM ALLIUM TUBEROSUM ON CORPUS CAVERNOSUM SMOOTH MUSCLE RELAXATION AND SEXUAL BEHAVIOR PARAMETERS IN MALE WISTAR RATS. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2017; 17(510). DOI: 10.1186/s12906-017-2008-5