EFFECT OF ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF PROSTAGLANDIN-E1 ON ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION

Objectives To investigate the effect of limaprost, an oral prostagland in El (PGE1) derivative, on erectile dysfunction and to compare the ef fects of limaprost with a Chinese herbal drug, gosyajinki-gan. Patient s and methods The study comprised 50 consecutive patients with mild er ectile dysfunction who showed a good erectile response to intracaverno sal injection with 20 mu g of PGE1. Limaprost was administered to the first 25 patients (30 mu g three times daily) and gosyajinki-gan (7.5 g three times daily) to the next 25 patients, for 8 consecutive weeks, Patients were evaluated by their ability to achieve vaginal penetrati on and by a subjective assessment of erectile function (penile rigidit y and maintenance of erection) before and after the treatment, using a self-administered questionnaire, Objective measurements (nocturnal pe nile tumescence, NPT, values) were also evaluated. Results Eleven of t he 24 patients who received limaprost without interruption and four of the 24 taking gosyajinki-gan succeeded in vaginal penetration; the di fference in the positive response rate was significant. The mean incre ment of NPT was significantly higher with limaprost treatment, However , all positive responders in both groups did not experience a full ere ction. There were no side-effects in any patient except one in the lim aprost group who developed a facial flush. Thus the treatment was mild enough to be tolerated, Conclusion Limaprost was more effective for m ild erectile dysfunction than was gosyajinki-gan.