Objective : We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study to determine the efficacy of an herbal sexual supplement (vigRX) on premature ejaculation (PE).
Method: A randomized double blind study was conducted on a fixed dose of herbal vigRX at Roozbeh Psychiatry Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The sample consisted of 85 married patients diagnosed with primary PE according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Each patient underwent diagnostic evaluation by one trained psychiatrist, using Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV-TR. Each patient was evaluated by researchers to exclude the organic sexual dysfunctions. The patients were randomly assigned in to two groups: group 1 consisting of 42 patients receiving placebo, and group 2 consisting of 43 patients receiving 540 mg herbal vigRX for a 4-week treatment course. The effects of the drug on the ejaculatory function in each group were assessed by the intravaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT), and the Chinese Index of Premature Ejaculation (CIPE) before and at the end of the treatment course. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS software (15th version).
Results: The mean IELT increased 22.4 and 32.0 seconds in the placebo and the vigRX group respectively after the treatment course. The mean IELT differences between the two groups was not significant. The mean CIPE score increased 2.40 and 4.37 in the placebo and the vigRX group respectively .The mean CIPE score differences between the two groups was not significant.No side effect was reported by the subjects in neither groups during the treatment course.
Conclusion: Although the improvement in IELT and CIPE scores in the herbal vigRX group was more than the placebo group, this difference was not statistically significant. The increasing of IELT and CIPE score in the placebo group may be due to the placebo effects. Further studies with higher vigRX doses, greater sample size and longer treatment courses are warranted.
Keywords: Ejaculation, Herbal medicine, Sexual dysfunction, Controlled trial
Iran J Psychiatry 2010; 5: 4-6
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The most common male sexual disorder[1-2] is premature ejaculation (PE), also referred to as early ejaculation (EE) or rapid ejaculation (RE), and affects 30%-40% of sexually active men, (1-3) perhaps as many as 75% of men at some points in their lives.(4) PE has been defined as uncontrolled ejaculation with the essential feature of recurrent or persistent orgasm with minimal sexual stimulation before, on, or after penetration and before the person desires it.(5)
Different treatment approaches have been used for the treatment of PE including local anaesthetic sprays, propranolol and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (6-9).
Despite the increasing availability of effective conventional medical treatments, plant-derived and herbal remedies continue to provide a popular alternative for men and women seeking to improve their sex life (10). The benefits of herbal and other natural products (dietary supplements) are increasingly cited in the media (11). Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM) which evolved out of the physiology and health, was a reflection of the processes observed in natural health. Herbal formulas constitute an important aspect of TCM treatment. However, understanding how herbs interact with one another in the context of complex herbal formulation is unclear from the western scientific perspective.(12) Nevertheless, the efficacy of most herbal agents in treating sexual problems remains uncertain. Therapists and consumers alike would benefit from an increased understanding of commonly used herbal agents on the market, their purported or supported effects, and their potential side effects (10). VigRX is a sexual includes: Epimedium Leaf Extract [20:1] 15mg , Cuscuta Seed Extract [4:1] 25mg, Ginkgo Biloba Leaf 100mg, Asian Ginseng Root 100mg, Saw Palmetto Berry - Fructus Serenoae 100mg, Muira Pauma Bark Extract [4:1] 50mg, Catuaba Bark Extract [4:1] 50mg, Hawthorn Berry - Fructus Crataegi 100mg. …