title: Effect of oral administration of prostaglandin E1 on erectile dysfunction.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of limaprost, an oral prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) derivative, on erectile dysfunction and to compare the effects of limaprost with a Chinese herbal drug, gosyajinki-gan.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 50 consecutive patients with mild erectile dysfunction who showed a good erectile response to intracavernosal injection with 20 micrograms of PGE1. Limaprost was administered to the first 25 patients (30 micrograms 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 penetration and by a subjective assessment of erectile function (penile rigidity and maintenance of erection) before and after the treatment, using a self-administered questionnaire. Objective measurements (nocturnal penile tumescence, NPT, values) were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven of the 24 patients who received limaprost without interruption and four of the 24 taking gosyajinki-gan succeeded in vaginal penetration; the difference in the positive response rate was significant. The mean increment of NPT was significantly higher with limaprost treatment. However, all positive responders in both groups did not experience a full erection. There were no side-effects in any patient except one in the limaprost group who developed a facial flush. Thus the treatment was mild enough to be tolerated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Limaprost was more effective for mild erectile dysfunction than was gosyajinki-gan.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Horita
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Adachi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tanda
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kumamoto
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsukamoto
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000527:Alprostadil / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D003075:Coitus; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000527:Alprostadil; C059238:limaprost