Effect of Adenosine on Penile Erection in Rats

Kang, Moon Ho; Seok, Bong Cheol; Yang, Sung Hak

Abstract

We designed this study to investigate the effects of adenosine on penile erection in Sprague- Dawley rats, in vivo. This was performed by simultaneous monitoring intracavernosal pressure( ICP) and systemic blood pressure with UROCOMPACT 6000 plus( WIEST, Germany) after intracavernosal injection of adenosine, papaverine and adenosine plus papaverine. Increment of maximal ICP was observed in the adenosine treated-group (0.015 to 0.15mg, n=30) in dose dependent manner, i.e., 15.8+/-0.95cmH2O with 0.015mg adenosine to 44.6+/-2.72cmH2O with 0.15mg adenosine, in mean ICP(n=l0, P<0.05). A similar finding was observed in the papaverine treated-group (0.015 to 0.15mg, n =30) in dose dependent manner. i.e., 28.1+/-2.88cmH2O with 0.015mg papaverine to 62.3+/-4.93cmH2O with 0.15mg papaverine, in mean ICP (n=10, P<0.05). The additive effect of adenosine plus papaverine treated-group( 0.015 + 0.015 to 0.15 +0.l5mg, n=30) was to enhance the results obtained by adenosine or papaverine alone in dose dependent manner. i.e., 50.7+/-1.71cmH2O with 0.015mg + 0.015mg papaverine to 79.5+/-5.63cmH2O with 0.15mg adenosine + 0.15mg papaverine. in mean ICP(n= 10, P<0.05). These results suggest that adenosine plays an important role on penile erection in rats. Adenosine may be useful for the future management of impotence, although the clinical effect remains to be investigated.