Abstract

Oyekunle Olanrewaju Akinloye * and Raji Yinusa

This work is aimed at comparing availability, affordability, patronage and adverse effects of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) with orthodox medicines [such as SILDENAFIL CITRATE (Viagra)] as remedy for enhancing sexual performance in Ogbomoso metropolis, Nigeria. 530 adult men were interviewed at random across the city with a structured open- and close-ended questionnaire. The information obtained include demographic status, experience of sexual dysfunction, choice of remedy and reasons, sources of remedies, efficacy and accompanying side effects of the of the chosen remedy. There were 420 (79.24%) CAM users, 38 (7.18%) Orthodox remedy users and 72 (13.58%) neither use herbal nor orthodox remedy to enhance sexual performance all with mean age of 32±2.4 years. The data obtained indicated a significant patronage of CAM as remedy for male sexual dysfunction. Also significant percentage (P<0.05) of orthodox remedy users indicated unpleasant experience when compared with CAM users. The use of CAM is quite common among sexually active men in Ogbomoso metropolis and usage is independent of socio-economic status. Research efforts should be geared towards finding natural products with aphrodisiac potentials, readily available, affordable and with little or no side effect.