Abstract
ABSTRACTCinnamomum cassia (Cinnamon) is a well-known traditional medicine with therapeutic benefits for centuries. We evaluated the effects of cinnamon essential oil (CEO) and its main component cinnamaldehyde (CA) on human corpus cavernosum (HCC) and rat CC. The essential oil of cinnamon was analyzed for the confirmation of the oil profile. HCC specimens from patients undergoing penile prosthesis surgery (age 48-69 years) were utilized for functional studies. In addition, erectile responses in anesthetized control and diabetic rats were evaluated in vivo after intracavernosal injection of CEO and CA, and rat CC strips were placed in organ baths. After precontraction with phenylephrine (10µM), relaxant responses to CEO and CA were investigated. CA (96.9%) was found as the major component. The maximum relaxation responses to CEO and CA were 96.4±3.5% and 96.0±5.0% in HCC and 97.5±5.5% and 96.8±4.8% in rat CC, respectively. There was no difference between control and diabetic rats in relaxation responses to CEO and CA. The relaxant responses obtained with essential oil and CA were not attenuated in the presence of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, and soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor (sGS) in CC. In vivo, erectile responses in diabetic rats were lower than in control rats, which was restored after intracavernosal injection of CEO and CA. CEO and CA improved erectile function and relaxation of isolated strips of rat CC and HCC by a NO/cGMP-independent mechanism. Further investigations are warranted to fully elucidate the restorative effects of CEO and CA on diabetic erectile dysfunction.
Highlights
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common health problems for men
The major findings of the present study show that [1] cinnamon essential oil (CEO) and CA relax human and rat corpus cavernosum (CC) in a concentration-dependent manner; [2] NO-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathway is not involved in the relaxation response to CEO and CA; and [3] CEO and CA improve in vivo erectile function in diabetic rats
The present study showed that CA and CEO remarkably induced relaxation of human corpus cavernosum (HCC) and rat CC strips
Summary
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is one of the most common health problems for men. In the current treatment for ED, phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) are considered the first-line therapy [1]. Korean ginseng, and ginkgo are popular examples used as male sexual performance enhancers in traditional medicine [3]. Previous clinical trials with Yohimbine demonstrated that the combination with L-arginine was effective in improving erectile function in patients with mild to moderate ED [4]. Oral gavage with Ginsenoside Rg3 (100mg/kg) normalized in vivo erectile responses in a diabetic rat model [5]. A clinical trial showed the positive effects of ginseng on IIEF-5 scores compared with placebo. The treatment with ginseng was effective in four of the five IIEF-15 domains [2]. We found that the treatment with pomegranate juice improved ED in a diabetic rat model [7]
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