title: Effects of icariin on cGMP-specific PDE5 and cAMP-specific PDE4 activities.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify the mechanism of the therapeutic action of icariin on erectile dysfunction (ED).
  
  
  METHODS
  PDE5 was isolated from the human platelet and PDE4 from the rat liver tissue using the FPLC system (Pharmacia, Milton Keynes, UK) and the Mono Q column. The inhibitory effects of icariin on PDE5 and PDE4 activities were investigated by the two-step radioisotope procedure with [(3)H]-cGMP/[(3)H]-cAMP. Papaverine served as the control drug.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Icariin and papaverine showed dose-dependent inhibitory effects on PDE5 and PDE4 activities. The IC(50) of Icariin and papaverine on PDE5 were 0.432 micromol/L and 0.680 micromol/L, respectively and those on PDE4, 73.50 micromol/L and 3.07 micromol/L, respectively. The potencies of selectivity of icariin and papaverine on PDE5 (PDE4/PDE5 of IC(50)) were 167.67 times and 4.54 times, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Icariin is a cGMP-specific PDE5 inhibitor that may be developed into an oral effective agent for the treatment of ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, the 1st Hospital, Peking University, 8 Xishiku Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100034, China. xinzc@bjmu.edu.cn
authors.forename: Z C
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Yuan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fu
mesh_terms: D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D010208:Papaverine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D014316:Tritium
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D014316:Tritium; D010208:Papaverine; D000242:Cyclic AMP; D015105:3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases; D054703:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 4; D015106:3',5'-Cyclic-GMP Phosphodiesterases; D054706:Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases, Type 5; C517381:PDE5A protein, human; C517384:Pde5a protein, rat; D006152:Cyclic GMP; C056599:icariin