Endogenous hydrogen sulfide insufficiency as a predictor of sexual dysfunction in aging rats

Figures & data

Figure 1.  ICP/MAP ratio in the young and aged male rat groups (n = 6–8) treated with sodium hydrosulfide hydrate (NaHS), dl-propargylglycine (PAG), sildenafil or l-NAME compared with the calculated ratio in untreated control animals. p < 0.05.

Table I.  Summary of results from experimental parameters in the young (3-month) and aged (18-month) male rat groups (n = 6–8).

Experimental parameters	Young rats (3 mo)	Aged rats (18 mo)	Comments
Baseline ICP (mm Hg)
Prior to cavernous nerver stimulation	9 ± 0.3	7.4 ± 0.6
With cavernous nerve stimulation	54.3 ± 1.7	43.3 ± 3.1*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
ICP with cavernous nerve stimulation
Control	45.2 ± 1.9	35.9 ± 2.0*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with NaHS	53.5 ± 6.0*	49.4 ± 3.6*	p < 0.05 (increase)
After treatment with Sildenafil	52.8 ± 9.8*	52.9 ± 2.1*	p < 0.05 (increase)
After treatment with PAG	34.8 ± 2.2*	32.6 ± 2.2*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with l-NAME	28.3 ± 3.2*	30.1 ± 0.8*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
MAP (mm Hg)
Control	115.2 ± 6.7	12.8 ± 9.0	–
After treatment with NaHS	95.8 ± 6.9*	111.5 ± 15.5	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with Sildenafil	119.9 ± 4.4	113.6 ± 16.0	–
After treatment with PAG	115.5 ± 5.9	127.1 ± 5.0	–
After treatment with l-NAME	138.3 ± 9.6*	155.8 ± 9.2*	p < 0.05 (increase)
Plasma total T (ng/ml)
Control	2.36 ± 0.6	1.14 ± 0.2	–
After treatment with NaHS	3.0 ± 0.2*	1.8 ± 0.5*	p < 0.05 (increase)
After treatment with Sildenafil	2.4 ± 0.4	1.1 ± 0.6	–
After treatment with PAG	2.2 ± 0.1	0.9 ± 0.1	–
After treatment with l-NAME	2.1 ± 0.2	0.9 ± 0.3	–
Plasma E2 (pg/ml)
Control	30.2 ± 3.4	24.3 ± 3.8	–
After treatment with NaHS	53.2 ± 3.7*	61.0 ± 0.1*	p < 0.05 (increase)
After treatment with Sildenafil	28.2 ± 1.4	23.0 ± 2.6	–
After treatment with PAG	34.6 ± 2.1	24.7 ± 2.2	–
After treatment with l-NAME	32.7 ± 3.5	22.5 ± 2.1	–
Plasma H2S (µM)
Control	24.7 ± 1.1	15.4 ± 1.0*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with NaHS	31.8 ± 2.1*	22.2 ± 1.7*	p < 0.05 (increase)
After treatment with Sildenafil	21.2 ± 0.7	19.7 ± 2.1	–
After treatment with PAG	20.4 ± 0.3	14.3 ± 1.6	–
After treatment with l-NAME	22.6 ± 0.6	15.3 ± 1.2	–
Plasma NO (µM)
Control	25.0 ± 2.8	17.0 ± 2.7*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with NaHS	27.8 ± 3.2	18.4 ± 0.9	–
After treatment with Sildenafil	29.4 ± 3.4	20.4 ± 0.9	–
After treatment with PAG	23.6 ± 1.7	17.9 ± 1.1	–
After treatment with l-NAME	19.8 ± 2.1*	14.4 ± 0.8	p < 0.05 (decrease)
CC tissue H2S (µM/g)
Control	4.3 ± 0.0	2.7 ± 0.4*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with NaHS	4.9 ± 0.5	3.1 ± 0.7	–
After treatment with Sildenafil	2.8 ± 0.3	2.4 ± 0.3	–
After treatment with PAG	1.4 ± 0.1*	2.5 ± 0.8	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with l-NAME	2.7 ± 0.2	2.1 ± 0.2	–
CC tissue NO (µM/g)
Control	8.1 ± 3.3	3.7 ± 0.4*	p < 0.05 (decrease)
After treatment with NaHS	5.9 ± 0.7	3.5 ± 0.6	–
After treatment with Sildenafil	8.7 ± 1.7	3.4 ± 0.1	–
After treatment with PAG	6.6 ± 0.7	3.5 ± 0.8	–
After treatment with l-NAME	3.7 ± 1.9	2.6 ± 0.4	–

*p < 0.05.