Korean J Urol.  1996 Oct;37(10):1067-1074.

The Effect and Mechanism of the Specific Phosphodiesterase (PDE) III-Inhibitor Milrinone on Human and Rabbit Corpus Cavernosum

• Jeon SS
• Paick JS
• Kim SW

Abstract

Milrinone is a positive inotropic/vasodilator agent in both preclinical and clinical studies. Milrinone has been shown previously to inhibit specific type III PDE isolated from different sources. To investigate the effect and the mechanism of milrinone on the corpus cavernosum, we have studied on the human and rabbit corpus cavernosum using organ bath and measured the levels of cAMP and cGMP after treatment of milrinone and papaverine. Our results show that milrinone relaxes human and rabbit corpus cavernosal tissue in a dose- dependent manner. And significant increases in cAMP content were evident with milrinone. These indicate that the accumulation of cAMP resulting from the inhibition of type III PDE plays an important role in milrinone on rabbit corpus cavernosum. And these may reflect the impotence of cAMP dependent second messenger systems for the relaxation of penile smooth muscle. These results suggest a possible potential for milrinone in the treatment of impotence.

Keyword

corpus cavernosum; milrinone; papaverine; cAMP

MeSH Terms

Baths
Erectile Dysfunction
Humans*
Male
Milrinone*
Muscle, Smooth
Papaverine
Relaxation
Second Messenger Systems
Milrinone
Papaverine