Curculigo orchioides root aphrodisiac and estrogenic effects, published studies

The rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Amaryllidacea) is an important Ayurvedic as well as Unani herb. It is present in several herbal formulations used in the treatment of menorrhagia and other gynecological problems, along with sexual enhancement. See eurycoma longjack, a sexual enhancing herb.

Aphrodisiac properties of curculigo orchioides
A Comparative Study on Aphrodisiac Activity of Some Ayurvedic Herbs in Male Albino Rats.
Arch Sex Behav. 2009. Thakur M, Chauhan NS, Bhargava S, Dixit VK. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. H. S. Gour University, Sagar, MP, India.
The roots of Asparagus racemosus, Chlorophytum borivilianum, and rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides are popular for their aphrodisiac and immunostimulatory properties. The herbs have been traditionally used as Vajikaran Rasayana herbs because of their putative positive influence on sexual performance in humans. Lyophilized aqueous extracts obtained from the roots of A. racemosus, C. borivilianum, and rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides were studied for sexual behavior effects in male albino rats and compared with untreated control group animals. Administration of 200 mg/kg body weight of the aqueous extracts had pronounced anabolic effect in treated animals as evidenced by weight gains in the body and reproductive organs. There was a significant variation in the sexual behavior of animals as reflected by reduction of mount latency, ejaculation latency, post ejaculatory latency, intromission latency, and an increase of mount frequency. Penile erection (indicated by Penile Erection Index) was also considerably enhanced. Reduced hesitation time (an indicator of attraction towards female in treated rats) also indicated an improvement in sexual behavior of extract treated animals. The observed effects appear to be attributable to the testosterone-like effects of the extracts. Nitric oxide based intervention may also be involved as observable from the improved penile erection. The present results, therefore, support the folklore claim for the usefulness of Curculigo orchioides and these herbs and provide a scientific basis for their purported traditional usage.

Curculigo orchioides estrogenic effect
Evaluation of estrogenic activity of alcoholic extract of rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2007. Vijayanarayana K, Rodrigues RS, Chandrashekhar KS, Subrahmanyam EV. N.G.S.M Institution of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Paneer, Deralakatte, Mangalore, Karnataka, India.
In this study, we conducted a comparative study of estrogenic activity of alcoholic extract of Curculigo orchioides with diethylstilbestrol in bilaterally ovariectomized young albino rats. Bilaterally ovariectomized albino rats were divided into five groups (n=9) receiving different treatments, consisting of vehicle (0.6% w/v sodium carboxy methyl cellulose), ethanolic extract of rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides at three different doses (viz., 300, 600, 1200 mg/kg body weight) and standard drug diethylstilbestrol (DES) at a dose of 2 mg/kg body weight. All these were administered orally daily for 7 days. Estrogenic activity was assessed by taking percentage vaginal cornification, uterine wet weight, uterine glycogen content and uterine histology as parameters of assessment. Alcoholic extract of Curculigo orchioides showed a significant increase in percentage vaginal cornification, uterine wet weight, uterine glycogen content and a proliferative changes in uterine endometrium compared to the control.

Mast cell stabilization and antihistaminic potentials of Curculigo orchioides rhizomes.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2009; Venkatesh P, Mukherjee PK, Kumar SN, Nema NK, Bandyopadhyay A, Fukui H, Mizuguchi H. School of Natural Product Studies, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata 700032, India.
 To investigate the mast cell stabilization and antihistaminic activities of the rhizomes of Curculigo orchioides (COR). Extract of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (Fam. Amaryllidaceae) has been reported to possess immunostimulant, and anti-inflammatory potentials. In Indian traditional system of medicine it is also used as anti-asthmatic and anti-inflammatory. Estimation of histamine release is key parameter for evaluating any target for its anti-allergic potential. The stabilization potential of the alcoholic extract of COR (100-400mg/kg) against mast cell degranulation was studied on isolated mice peritoneal mast cells. The antihistaminic activity was performed by determining the mortality rate of mice upon exposure to compound 48/80 and effect on inhibition of histamine release upon degranulation. The raised number of intact mast cells intimates that the COR stabilized the mast cell degranulation and percentage antihistaminic potential of the extract (63.58+/-1.8 inhibition at dose of 400mg/kg) and it virtues further work towards the isolation of phytoconstituents from this plant. This finding provides evidence that COR inhibits mast cell-derived immediate-type allergic reactions and mast cell degranulation.

Curcumin home