Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate whether an ethanol extract of Arctium lappa (EAL) augments penile erection in vitro. Isolated rabbit endothelium‐intact corpus cavernosum was preconstricted with phenylephrine (PE). EAL relaxed penile smooth muscle in a dose‐dependent manner, which was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with NG‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME), a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, and 1H‐[1,2,4]‐oxadiazole‐[4,3‐¥á]‐quinoxalin‐1‐one (ODQ), a soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) inhibitor. EAL‐induced relaxation was also significantly attenuated by pertreatment with verapamil and diltiazem, respectively. On the other hand, relaxation of penile smooth muscle induced by EAL was not blocked by several inhibitors including tetraethylammonium (TEA), glibenclamide, indomethacin, atropine and propranolol, respectively. In the perfusion model of penile tissue, EAL also relaxed PE‐precontracted penile tissue tension in a dose‐dependent manner. Moreover, perfusion of penile tissues with EAL significantly increased the levels of cGMP and cAMP. Taken together, these results suggest that EAL may be induced penile erection through the activation of penile tissue NO/cGMP system and/or Ca2+channels in corpus cavernosum.
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