Nanotechnology Now - News Story: Topical Cream for Erectile Dysfunction Shows Promise: It could become alternative for men who can't tolerate pills, researchers say

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September 19th, 2009

Topical Cream for Erectile Dysfunction Shows Promise: It could become alternative for men who can't tolerate pills, researchers say

Abstract:
A topical cream for erectile dysfunction shows promise in animal testing and could become an alternative for men who can't tolerate the pill form of the drugs, U.S. researchers report.

Oral erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs, which belong to a class of medications called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, are widely used and highly effective but can cause such side effects as headache, upset stomach, nasal congestion, facial flushing and hearing and vision problems. Men who've recently had a heart attack or have severe heart disease have to use oral ED drugs with caution, if at all.

The new cream consists of nanoparticles that can carry drugs or other substances, such as nitric oxide, and deliver them in a controlled and sustained manner, according to the researchers, who are from Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University in New York City. Nitric oxide is the signaling molecule that dilates blood vessels responsible for creating an erection.

The nanoparticle therapy was tested on 18 rats bred to have age-related ED. Some rats received nanoparticles with nitric oxide, others received nanoparticles with nitric oxide plus an experimental ED drug called silorphin (which has a different mechanism of action than PDE5 inhibitors) and a third group of rats received nanoparticles with nitric oxide and the PDE5 inhibitor tadalafil (Cialis).

Source:
healthday.com

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