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Objective:To determine the effects of the aqueous extract ofCnestis ferruginea root on paroxetine-induced sexual dysfunction in maleWistar rats.Methods:The extract (13,26 and52 mg/kg body weight) and the reference herbal drug,PowmaxM (7.14 mg/kg body weight) were administered orally to paroxetine-induced sexually impaired male rats, once daily for5 d and their sexual behaviour parameters were monitored and computed.Theserum hormones (testosterone, follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones) were determined at the end of the exposure period.Results:Administration of paroxetine to sexually active male rats significantly (P<0.05) reduced the mount frequency (MF), intromission frequency (IF), and ejaculation frequency (EF), whereas mount latency (ML), intromission latency (IL), ejaculatory latency (EL) and post-ejaculatory interval (PEI) were increased.The extracts progressively reversed the trends ofMF,IF,EF,ML,IL,EL andPEI in the paroxetin-treated animals towards the control values throughout the exposure period.The sexual behaviour parameters compared well with thePowmaxM-treated animals but not comparable to the distilled water administered animals. In addition, all the doses of the extract elevated (P<0.05) the levels of serumLH andFSH and decreased testosterone contents.Conclusions:The aqueous extract ofCnestis ferruginea root at the doses of13,26 and52 mg/kg body weight restored sexual competence at least to a reasonable extent in sexually impaired/sluggish male rats with the highest dose producing the best efficacy. The results support the folkloric claim of the plant for the management of sexual disorder in males.