Effects of losartan on the sexual behavior of male rats

Many commonly used antihypertensive drugs such as diuretics and beta-blocke rs can interfere with sexual function in both sexes, causing loss of libido , impairment of erectile function and ejaculation in men, and delay or prev ent orgasm in women. Newly developed antihypertensive drugs should ideally not interfere with the patients' quality of life including sexual function. This study examined the effects of losartan, a nonpeptide, specific antago nist for type I angiotensin II receptors, on the male sexual behavior of ra ts. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (W KY) rats were treated with losartan 30 mg/kg/day or saline control for 7, 3 0 and 90 days, Dark-cycle videorecording was used to analyze the male sexua l activities of the rats. No significant alteration in male sexual performa nce was observed after 7 and 30 days of treatment with losartan. In contras t, SHRs treated with propranolol 5 mg/kg/ day showed increases in intromiss ion latency, ejaculation latency and postejaculatory period indicating decr eased libido and erectile and ejaculatory function. Upon completion of 90 d ays of losartan administration, the mount latency of the SHR was significan tly increased, suggesting a decrease in libido although other parameters we re unchanged and there was no effect in WKV rats, It is therefore concluded that losartan may have an advantage in preservation of sexual function whe n used clinically for the treatment of hypertensive disorders.