Korean J Androl.  2011 Aug;29(2):144-150. 10.5534/kja.2011.29.2.144.

The Effects of New Herbal Formula (KBMSI-1) on the Penile Erection and Corpus Cavernosum in Streptozotocin-induced Diabetic Rats

• Yoon BI
• Shin TS
• Woo JC
• Kim SJ
• Kim HS
• Ha US
• Kim HJ
• Hwang SY
• Kim SW

• KMID: 2226467
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5534/kja.2011.29.2.144

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of new herbal formula (KBMSI-1) on erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We used male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks and divided into three groups; control (n=8), diabetes (DM) (n=8), DM+KBMSI-1 200 mg/kg treatment (n=8) groups. The DM groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ). Distilled water was administered in the control and DM group. To investigate the penile erection, intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and intracavernosal pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP) were recorded in all groups. Serial sections of the penis were used to perform Masson's trichrome stain. We analyzed the expression of nNOS and eNOS concentration in the isolated corpus cavernosum by western blotting.
RESULTS
Peak ICP/MAP ratio was markedly increased in the treatment group with KBMSI-1 compared with DM group (p<0.05). Masson's trichrome staining of corpus cavernosum showed increase in smooth muscle volume and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers in KBMSI-1 treatment group compared with DM group. Western blot analysis revealed that the penile expressions of nNOS and eNOS protein were significantly higher in KBMSI-1-treated group than in DM group.
CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that herbal formulation of KBMSI-1 enhances the penile erection and the level of eNOS and nNOS expression of penile corpus cavernosum in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.

Keyword

Herbal; Diabetes mellitus; Penile erection

MeSH Terms

Aged
Animals
Arterial Pressure
Azo Compounds
Blotting, Western
Collagen
Diabetes Mellitus
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Erectile Dysfunction
Humans
Injections, Intraperitoneal
Male
Methyl Green
Muscle, Smooth
Penile Erection
Penis
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Streptozocin
Water
Azo Compounds
Collagen
Eosine Yellowish-(YS)
Methyl Green
Streptozocin
Water

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Masson's trichrome staining of corpus cavernosum in control group (A), diabetes group (B), KBMSI-1 treatment group (C). In the diabetes group, corpus cavernosum showed reduction of smooth muscles and irregular, distorted arrangement of collagen fibers. In the KBMSI-1 treatment group, corpus cavernosum showed increases volume of smooth muscles and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers (×100, ×400).

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  Fig. 2. Muscle distribution (muscle/collagen ratio) of penile corpus cavernosal smooth muscle. DM: diabetes group, DM＋ KBMSI-1: diabetes group treated with KBMSI-1. ∗Significantly different (p＜0.05) from DM group.

• 

  Fig. 3. Western blot analysis showing the protein expression of eNOS and nNOS. eNOS: endothelial NO synthase, nNOS: neuronal NO synthase. ∗,∗∗Significant different (p＜0.05) from DM group.

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