OYSTERS, long-feted as an aphrodisiac, may really help male impotence. Scientists from South China University of Technology suggest the mechanism is similar to medications such as sildenafil (brand name Viagra) – and that the shellfish could be a new way to tackle erectile dysfunction.
A study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that a compound in oyster flesh called crassostrea oyster peptide 3 (COP3) increases levels of the hormone testosterone and also delivers nitric oxide to penile tissue (this helps widen blood vessels, improving the blood flow needed for an erection).
The results, based on studies in mice, could lead to new treatments.
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