Mechanistic analysis of erectile dysfunction in a depression rat model.

OBJECTIVE: Most men suffering from depression have different degrees of erectile dysfunction (ED), but the relationship between depression and ED is not clear. This study explored the effect of depression on erectile function in rats and the underlying mechanism. METHODS: The potential targets and key signaling pathways of depression and ED were predicted through bioinformatics analysis, and a depression rat model was established by inducing chronic restraint stress. Pathological changes in rat penis tissue were studied by hematoxylin and eosin staining. The serum dopamine level was quantified by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression of related proteins and mRNA was detected by western blotting and real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: Hematoxylin and eosin staining showed pathological damage in the penile tissue of the model group rats. The serum dopamine level, dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) and solute carrier family 6 member 3 (SLC6A3) protein levels in penile tissue, and DRD2 and SLC6A3 mRNA levels were lower in the model group than in the control group. CONCLUSION: The decrease in erectile function in the depression rat model was related to dysfunction of the dopamine system and dopaminergic synapse signaling pathway.

[Coridius Decoction increases penile erection hardness, IIEF-5 scores and testosterone level in patients with erectile dysfunction].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of Coridius Decoction on penile erection hardness, IIEF-5 scores and the testosterone level in ED patients. METHODS: We selected 120 ED patients diagnosed and treated in our hospital between July 2018 and January 2020 and, using the random number table, divided them into a control (n = 55) and an observation (n = 65), the former treated with oral sildenafil and the latter with warm Coridius Decoction in addition, both for 8 weeks and followed up for 6 months. We compared the TCM syndrome scores, clinical effects, penile erection hardness, IIEF-5 scores, testosterone (T) level and adverse reactions between the two groups of patients. RESULTS: The TCM syndrome score, compared with the baseline, was significantly decreased in the observation (9.81 ± 0.61 vs 17.63 ± 1.16, P < 0.05) and the control group (17.56 ± 1.23 vs 13.18 ± 0.75, P < 0.05) after treatment, even lower in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.01). The total therapeutic effectiveness rate was markedly higher in the observation group than in the control (92.31% ï¼»60/65ï¼½ vs 80.00% ï¼»44/55ï¼½, P < 0.05). After medication, the erection hardness score (EHS) was dramatically higher than the baseline in the observation (4.21 ± 0.55 vs 2.55 ± 0.73, P < 0.01) and the control group (3.14 ± 0.54 vs 2.61 ± 0.73, P < 0.01), and so were the IIEF-5 score (18.58 ± 5.26 vs 12.00 ± 4.68, P < 0.05 and 15.29 ± 4.70 vs 11.94 ± 5.54, P < 0.05) and the T level (ï¼»13.27 ± 4.21ï¼½ vs ï¼»9.43 ± 4.31ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.05 and ï¼»10.74 ± 4.15ï¼½ vs ï¼»9.01 ± 4.72ï¼½ nmol/L, P < 0.05), both even higher in the former than in the latter group (P < 0.01). There were no statistically significant differences in the incidence rates of adverse reactions between the observation and control groups (6.15% ï¼»4/65ï¼½ vs 3.64% ï¼»2/55ï¼½, P = 0.834). CONCLUSIONS: Coridius Decoction is safe and effective for the treatment of ED, which can significantly improve the clinical symptoms, increase penile erectile hardness and the T level, and repair the erectile function of the patient.