Abstract：
The global incidence of erectile dysfunction is increasingly becoming a significant health concern, as its frequency demonstrates a consistent upward trajectory each year. In recent years, FDA-approved drugs like sildenafil among others has been approved to treat this disorder however the drug is not without its own side effects. In a bid to develop alternative therapeutic option, scientists have now turned to traditional medicine in search of a treatment regimen. Africa is blessed with numerous medicinal plants used in the treatment and management of several diseases including erectile dysfunction. Due to limited access to modern medicine and high-quality medical facilities, a significant number of individuals in Africa continue to depend on traditional medicine as a means of addressing critical health issues. Perhaps one of the grossly explored medicinal properties of plants in Africa is for erectile function. Through years of extensive research in medicinal plants, several plants indigenous to Africa have been identified to show profound ability to mitigate erectile dysfunction. While previous reports have indeed corroborated the ability of this plant to abate erectile dysfunction, there is still a dearth of information regarding the mechanistic aspect of these plants. Hence, the current review aims to provide a comprehensive mechanistic perspective to the major African medicinal plant which have been reported to be effective in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
摘要：
勃起功能障碍的全球发病率正日益成为一个重要的健康问题，因为它的频率每年都显示出一致的上升轨迹。近年来,FDA批准的药物如西地那非等已被批准用于治疗这种疾病，但该药物并非没有其自身的副作用。为了开发替代治疗方案，科学家们现在已经转向传统医学寻找治疗方案。非洲拥有许多用于治疗和管理包括勃起功能障碍在内的多种疾病的药用植物。由于获得现代医学和高质量医疗设施的机会有限，非洲有相当多的人继续依赖传统医学作为解决重大健康问题的手段。也许非洲植物的药用特性之一是勃起功能。通过多年对药用植物的广泛研究，已经确定了几种非洲本土的植物显示出减轻勃起功能障碍的深刻能力。虽然以前的报道确实证实了这种植物减轻勃起功能障碍的能力，关于这些植物的机械方面的信息仍然缺乏。因此，本综述旨在为据报道可有效治疗勃起功能障碍的主要非洲药用植物提供全面的机制观点。
