OBJECTIVE In this pilot study, the effect of sildenafil on digital ulcer (DU) healing and related clinical symptoms was analysed. METHODS A total of 19 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) were treated with maximally tolerated sildenafil doses up to 6 months. Primary outcome was the healing of DUs. Changes in other clinical symptoms were also evaluated. RESULTS In all, 49 DUs were present...

Endothelial dysfunction caused by defective nitric oxide (NO) signaling plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of intermittent claudication (IC). In the present study, we evaluated the acute effects of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor that acts by prolonging NO-mediated cGMP signaling in vascular smooth muscle, on blood pressure (BP), skeletal muscle oxygenation, and walking t...

The cGMP-binding cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE5) degrades cGMP and regulates the intracellular level of cGMP in many tissues, including the smooth muscle of the corpus cavernosum of the penis. Sildenafil (Viagra), a specific PDE5 inhibitor, promotes penile erection by blocking the activity of PDE5, which causes cGMP to accumulate in the corpus cavernosum. In the present study, sildenafil...

We studied the effects of sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of PDE5, on the development and the expression of tolerance to diazepam (DZ)-induced motor impairment and sedation in mice. DZ-induced motor incoordination was assessed by the rotarod and chimney tests, and DZ-induced sedation was examined using a photocell apparatus. Sildenafil treatment enhanced the development of tolerance to the mo...

Background: Experimental studies have shown that sildenafil may have significant cardio protective effects if used in low doses. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of glucagon and sildenafil treatments in anesthetized rats receiving verapamil overdose. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n = 8 per group), weighing 300-350 g were used in the study. The iliac arteries and veins of...

It has been suggested that the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor sildenafil may be useful in the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy. However, we have reported a selective increase in renal inner medullary PDE5 that participates in the sodium retention of pregnancy. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether oral sildenafil treatment impairs maternal plasma volume e...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The best conceivable treatment for hypoxia-ischemia (HI) is the restoration of blood flow to the hypoxic-ischemic region(s). Our objective was to examine whether boosting NO-cGMP signaling using sildenafil citrate, a phosphodiesterase-type 5 inhibitor, could modify cerebral blood flow and reduce lesions in the developing brain. METHODS HI was induced in P7 Sprague-Dawle...

We recently demonstrated that sildenafil reduces the expression of cytokines, COX-2, and GFAP in a demyelinating model induced in wild-type (WT) mice. Herein, the understandings of the neuroprotective effect of sildenafil and the mediation of iNOS/NO system on inflammatory demyelination induced by cuprizone were investigated. The cerebella of iNOS(-/-) mice were examined after four weeks of tre...

OBJECTIVE To survey patient satisfaction, using validated questionnaires, in a group of men with erectile dysfunction who had used and responded to both sildenafil citrate and intracavernosal injection (ICI) therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS In all, 300 patients on ICI therapy were mailed questionnaire packets containing a survey enquiring about the patients' medical history, and two sets of the ...

BACKGROUND AND AIM Sildenafil is used to treat erectile dysfunction but it has association with some side effects. This study was conducted with the aim of investigating the effect of duration of taking sildenafil on intraocular pressure (IOP) in patients with erectile dysfunction. METHODS The study population of this cross-sectional study were all males with erectile dysfunction referring to...