Study: Ashwagandha root extract and sexual function in women
Study: Ashwagandha root extract and sexual function in women
Reference
DONGRE S, Langade D, Bhattacharyya S. Effectiveness and security of Ashwagandha ( withhania somnifera ) Root extract to improve sexual function in women: a pilot study. biomed research int . 2015; 2015: 284154.Doi: 10.1155/2015/284154.
Design
a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study
participant
women aged 21 to 50, who have been in a fixed heterosexual relationship for over a year and have previously been sexually active for several years. The participants had to have a male partner who was either not impotent or minimally impotent, based on a questionnaire on the self -report of the erectile dysfunction. Women also had to meet the following criteria:
- Output value of <26 on the female sexual function index (fsfi)
- Output value of> 11 on the Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS)
- Diagnosis of a female sexual dysfunction (FSD) with one or more of the following points:
-Disorder of the hypoactive sexual desire (HSDD)
-Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD)
-Female orgasm disorder (fod)
-combined genital and subjective arousal disorder
- readiness for sexual intercourse with the intention of reaching an orgasm at least twice a week
- willingness to make a written declaration of consent and ability to meet all study requirements
- willingness to use a condom
- ability to speak English, read and write
Intervention
Fifty women who met the selection criteria were divided into 2 groups according to the random. Group A (N = 25) received a highly concentrated Ashwagandha root extract (HCARE), 300 mg twice a day for 8 weeks. Group B (n = 25) received a placebo that was identical in size, shape, color and texture.
primary result
The primary result was the female sexual function index (fsfi). The FSFI is a 19-point self-report form that contains values for desire, excitement, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. The total number of points is a weighted sum of these points. The FSFI was used at the beginning of the course after 4 weeks and after 8 weeks.
study parameters evaluated
The primary effectiveness results used the FSFI as specified above. The Female Sexual Distress Scale (FSDS), the Sexual Activity Record (SAR), the Patient’s Global Assessment of Response to Therapy (PGART), the Patient’s Global Assessment of Tolerability to Therapy (PGATT) and the compliance were used as secondary results.
While many parameters improved, the most difficult in clinical practice, little desire, was not improved in this study with Ashwagandha.
important knowledge
none of the women who were included in the study withdrew. All women in the study had total FSFI values that indicate a female sexual dysfunction (FSD), with values of 13.57 +/- 0.9 and 13.63 +/- 0.95 for group A or group B. The average FSFI value in week 4 was 20.25 in group A and 17.69 in group B. In week 8, the average total FSFI value 23.86 in group A and 20.06 in Group B. The increase in the overall value was significantly higher Ashwagandha group than in the placebo group in week 4 and in week 8 ( p <0.001). In week 4 and 8 there was no significant difference between Ashwagandha and placebo in the area. p <0.001). In the sliding capacity scores, the effects of Ashwagandha were also strong with a greater improvement than with placebo in week 4 and 8. With the orgasm scores, the improvement in the Ashwagandha group was significantly higher than with placebo in week 4 ( p <0.01) and week 8 ( <0.001). The difference was not statistically different with the pain values, but the middle FSDS value rose statistically significantly more in week 4 and in week 8 in the Ashwagandha group than in the placebo group ( p <0.001). There was an improvement in recording the sexual activity of group A ( p <0.01) and the number of successful sexual encounters in group A compared to Group B in week 8 ( p <0.001). Finally, 15 of the 25 women in group A rated the response to therapy as excellent, 9 as good and 1 as moderate. The treatment was well tolerated without side effects being observed.
Comment
In animal models, it was found that Ashwagandha is effective in stress -induced sexual functional disorders. 1 Ashwagandha can improve the female sexual dysfunction based on its role in reducing stress, but may also be one of the restrictions in the increase in and and Sample size that limits them to a pilot study. In addition, women are not postmenopausal if sexual dysfunction occurs more often and is more difficult to treat. Although this product had some positive effects, the search for safe and effective botanical approaches for female sexual dysfunction must be continued, especially in the area of desire.
- Singh G, Sharma PK, Dudhe R, Singh S. Biological activities by Withhania Somnifera. ann biol. Res . 2010; 1 (3): 56-63.
- Mazaro-Costa R, Anderson ML, Hachul H, Tufik S. Medicinal plants as alternative treatments for female sexual dysfunction: utopian vision or possible treatment in women in the climacteriste? j sex med . 2010; 7 (11): 3695-3714.