EFFECTS OF PAPAVERINE AND PROSTAGLANDIN E(1) ON CORPUS CAVERNOSUM SMOOTH-MUSCLE OF ARTERIOGENICALLY AND DIABETICALLY IMPOTENT MEN

Relaxant effect of prostaglandin E(1) (PGE(1)) and papaverine (PAP) we re measured in strips of corpus cavernosum smooth muscle taken from a healthy control group of men (A; n = 5), from arteriogenically impoten t men (B; n = 6) and from additionally diabetic impotent men (C; n = 5 ) with venous leakage. Maximal relaxant effect was achieved with PAP a t a mean of 10(-4) mol/l and PGE(1) at a mean of 5.8 x 10(-6) mol/l. P AP induced complete relaxation in all strips. There was no difference in relaxant effects between groups. Relaxant effect was less pronounce d and depended significantly on etiology: penylephrine-induced tension was reduced by 76+/- 8% (A), 54+/- 14% (B) and 23+/- 18% (C), respect ively. In conclusion, our data suggest degradation of PGE(1) receptors depending on the cause of erectile dysfunction. Furthermore, relaxant capacity of cavernous smooth muscle per se seems not to be impaired i n impotence. Therefore, pathophysiology of venous leakage cannot suffi ciently be explained by a lack of relaxation.