PDE5 inhibitor
A phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor (PDE5 inhibitor) is a vasodilating
Medical uses
Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitors such as sildenafil (Viagra), tadalafil (Cialis), vardenafil (Levitra), and avanafil (Stendra) are clinically indicated for the treatment of erectile dysfunction.[2] Sildenafil and tadalafil are also indicated for the treatment of some subtypes of pulmonary hypertension, while tadalafil is also licensed for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.[1]
PDE5 inhibitors have been used as a second line therapy in severe cases of
Sildenafil, the prototypical PDE5 inhibitor, was originally discovered during the search of a novel treatment for
Contraindications
PDE5 inhibitors are contraindicated within 24 hours (or 48 hours with tadalafil) of taking
Despite initial concerns of adverse cardiovascular events in patients prescribed PDE5 inhibitors, several long-term studies have established the safety of the drugs in both healthy patients and patients with cardiovascular risk factors.[1]
Adverse effects
All PDE5 inhibitors are generally well tolerated.
In 2007, the
Since 2007 there has been evidence to suggest that PDE5 inhibitors can cause an anterior optic neuropathy,[8] although the absolute risk increase is small.[1]
Finally, there are concerns that PDE5 inhibitors may increase the risk of neonatal mortality in pregnant women, and trials investigating use of the drugs for fetal growth restriction have been suspended.[1]
Drug interactions
PDE5 inhibitors are primarily metabolized by the
Examples
The PDE5 inhibitor story begins with the work of the British physician and physiologist Henry Hyde Salter who, in 1886, noticed that his asthma symptoms eased after drinking a strong cup of coffee. We now know that this was due to the bronchodilator properties of caffeine, a non-selective, albeit weak, PDE5 inhibitor.[10] In 1986, Pfizer scientists at Sandwich, UK, started preclinical work on the development of a PDE5 inhibitor (later known as sildenafil citrate) for the treatment of angina.
Sildenafil, tadalafil, vardenafil and avanafil are the main agents marketed globally, although mirodenafil, udenafil, Gisadenafil, Yonkenafil (Tunodafil) and lodenafil are available in some countries.[1] Other agents with weak PDE5 inhibitory properties include Fenspiride, MBCQ, Zaprinast and icariin.[11]
Although all PDE5 inhibitors share the same mechanism of action, each agent has different pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics which affect how quickly it acts, how long its effects last, and its side effects.[1] Notably, although all PDE5 inhibitors preferentially inhibit PDE5, the degree to which they also inhibit other phosphodiesterases influences their side effect profile.[1] For example, sildenafil also inhibits PDE6 which is present in the retina of the eye; this reaction is thought to be responsible for the temporary visual changes which some patients using sildenafil experience. Similarly tadalafil also inhibits PDE11 which is present in the prostate, although no effects on fertility have been reported.[1] Although agents more selective for PDE5 were in development, these trials have been suspended, likely due to the saturation of the market with the introduction of agents with broad cardiovascular benefits, such as SGLT2 inhibitors and endothelin receptor antagonists.[1]
Nevertheless, PDE5 inhibitors already marketed for
There are some PDE5 inhibitors, generally not approved by any health regulatory agency, that have been found as undeclared ingredients or adulterants in a variety of supplements which are sold as "natural" or "herbal" sexual enhancement products. Examples are Acetildenafil, Aildenafil, Homosildenafil, Nitrosoprodenafil, and Sulfoaildenafil, Thioquinapiperifil
Mechanism of action
Part of the physiological process of vasodilatation involves the release of nitric oxide (NO) by vascular endothelial cells which then diffuses to nearby vascular smooth muscle cells. There, NO activates soluble guanylate cyclase which converts guanosine triphosphate (GTP) to cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), the main effector of the system. For example, in the penis, NO release at high levels from endothelial cells and penile nerves during sexual stimulation leads to relaxation of the smooth vasculature of the corpus cavernosum, causing vasocongestion and a sustained erection.[1]
PDE5 inhibitors prolong the action of cGMP by inhibiting its degradation by the enzyme PDE5, which is found throughout the body. In the penis, PDE5 inhibitors potentiate the effects of cGMP to prolong erections and increase sexual satisfaction.[12] However, PDE5 inhibitors do not cause erections without sexual stimulation.
As well as their haemodynamic effects, PDE5 inhibitors have also been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, and metabolic properties in several experiments.[1] However, larger and longer-term studies are needed to establish their effectiveness and safety compared to other medications in other diseases.
See also
References
- ^ PMID 31721165.
- ^ Kandeel FR. "Treatment of Erectile Dsyfunction in Men with Heart Disease". Male Sexual Dysfunction: Pathophysiology and Treatment. CRC Press, 2013. p. 453.
- PMID 28895508.
- PMID 12411660.
- PMID 10078539.
- ^ a b Rossi S, editor. Australian Medicines Handbook 2006. Adelaide: Australian Medicines Handbook; 2006.[page needed]
- ^ "FDA Announces Revisions to Labels for Cialis, Levitra and Viagra". Food and Drug Administration. 2007-10-18. Retrieved 2011-10-30.
- S2CID 43862884.
- ISBN 978-3-85200-196-8.
- PMID 16402111.
- S2CID 86637628.
- PMID 9580646.
Further reading
- Uzunov P, Weiss B (September 1972). "Separation of multiple molecular forms of cyclic adenosine-3',5'-monophosphate phosphodiesterase in rat cerebellum by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis". Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. 284 (1): 220–6. PMID 4342220.
- Weiss, B (1975). "Differential activation and inhibition of the multiple forms of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase". Advances in cyclic nucleotide research. 5: 195–211. PMID 165666.
- Fertel R, Weiss B (July 1976). "Properties and drug responsiveness of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases of rat lung". Molecular Pharmacology. 12 (4): 678–87. PMID 183099.
- Weiss B, Hait WN (1977). "Selective cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents". Annual Review of Pharmacology and Toxicology. 17: 441–77. PMID 17360.
- Kanthapillai P, Lasserson T, Walters E (October 2004). "Sildenafil for pulmonary hypertension". The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2004 (4): CD003562. PMID 15495058.
- Rao AR, Thwaini A, Ahmed HU, Shergill IS, Minhas S (July 2007). "The phosphodiesterase inhibitors and non-arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy: increased vigilance is necessary". BJU International. 100 (1): 3–4. S2CID 43862884.