Alternatives to Viagra
Key points
- Researchers have identified an alternative pathway that regulates penile erection, offering fresh hope to the 40% of impotent men for whom Viagra is ineffective.
- A team lead by Clinton Webb (Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, USA) took a different approach by looking for molecules that can block smooth muscle cell contraction.
- They hypothesized that Rho-kinase, which works as a vasoconstrictor by activating myosin light chain, was a promising pharmacological target.
- This study, published in the January issue of Nature Medicine, offers a new pathway for treating erectile dysfunction.
Researchers have identified an alternative pathway that regulates penile erection, offering fresh hope to the 40% of impotent men for whom Viagra is ineffective. Viagra increases the dilatory effects of nitric acid in the penis blood vessels, increasing blood flow and causing erection.
A team lead by Clinton Webb (Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, USA) took a different approach by looking for molecules that can block smooth muscle cell contraction.
They hypothesized that Rho-kinase, which works as a vasoconstrictor by activating myosin light chain, was a promising pharmacological target. A drug called Y-27632 blocked Rho-kinase activity and rapidly induced erections in laboratory rats in a nitric oxide-independent manner.
This study, published in the January issue of Nature Medicine, offers a new pathway for treating erectile dysfunction. JW
Jonathan Weitzman
Trends in Molecular Medicine
Written and revised by
Gerald Hurowitz, M.D.
Our doctors write and review articles for accuracy and keep them up to date.
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