Development and Therapeutic Applications of Nitric Oxide Releasing Materials to Treat Erectile Dysfunction

Abstract

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in erectile physiology is well documented. NO activates relaxation of corporal cavernosal smooth muscle tissue resulting in increased blood flow into the penis resulting in an erection. At present, pharmacologic treatments for erectile dysfunction, such as the phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors, potentiate the erectile response generated by NO. However, a new class of treatments at a preclinical stage may allow localized delivery of NO to the penis via cutaneous application. These treatments may be of particular value to patients with a neurogenic component to their erectile dysfunction, and may act synergistically with phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors to increase their efficacy.

Keywords::

• erectile dysfunction
• ED
• nanoparticles
• nitric oxide
• NO
• phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors
• PDE5 inhibitors

Financial & competing interests disclosure

K Davies is partly supported by a grant from the NIDDK/NIH (DK087872). The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.

Additional information

Funding

K Davies is partly supported by a grant from the NIDDK/NIH (DK087872). The author has no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.