Abstract
Herbal supplements sold as ‘all natural’ on various markets in Accra (Ghana) and advertised as highly efficacious in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) were bought and analysed by a PDE-5 enzyme inhibition assay. The claimed efficacy of these products could be the result of inherent plant constituents, but also of intentionally added pharmaceuticals. Medically, ED is treated with potent inhibitors of the phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE-5) enzyme, as in the case of sildenafil. To test the efficacy of the Ghanaian supplements, extracts were made and tested using a PDE-Glo phosphodiesterase assay, a luminescent high-throughput screening (HTS) method.Results revealed that about 90% of the selected samples were able to inhibit PDE-5 activity to a high extent. Estimated concentrations in sildenafil equivalents ranged from traces to very high, with 25 samples (62.5%) pointing at daily doses higher than 25 mg sildenafil equivalents and 9 (22.5%) of these at doses higher than the maximal recommended daily intake of 100 mg sildenafil equivalents. Further investigations are needed to confirm if the observed effects are due to inherent plant constituents or merely the result of added synthetic PDE-5 enzyme inhibitors, especially because doses above 100 mg sildenafil equivalents per day may result in severe health risks.
Highlights
IntroductionAc tivities that cause mental and emotional instability and certain chronic medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension), affect an individual’s sexuality and overall sexual performance (Musicki et al 2009)
Stimulation of sexual drive is initiated in the brain
To detect the potential presence of PDE5 inhibitors, samples were tested with a PDE-5 enzyme inhibition assay including an estimation of the level of PDE-5 inhibitor expressed in sildenafil equivalents
Summary
Ac tivities that cause mental and emotional instability and certain chronic medical conditions (diabetes, hypertension), affect an individual’s sexuality and overall sexual performance (Musicki et al 2009). This may potentially result in sexual dysfunction. Dysfunction in sexual desire is less prevalent in men, erectile dysfunction (ED), which is the inability of a man to achieve and maintain an erec tion, has gained lots of attention during the past two decades. Solutions ranging from psychological therapies to prescriptive drugs have been approved for the treatment and management of ED since the early 1990s (Patel et al 2014)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
