title: Zaprinast, a phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor, alters paced mating behavior in female rats.
abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) is the primary mediator of blood flow in female genital tissues and drugs that enhance the activity of nitric oxide, such as phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE-5) inhibitors, increase vaginal blood flow in anesthetized rats. The goal of the present study was to test the effects of one PDE-5 inhibitor, zaprinast, on the display of sexual behaviors in gonadectomized, estrogen- and progesterone-treated female rats. Experiment 1 demonstrates that zaprinast alters paced mating behavior by lengthening the contact-return latency to ejaculation; there is a significant relationship between dose of zaprinast (range 1.5-6 mg/kg) and contact-return latency to ejaculation. Experiment 2 illustrates that zaprinast has no effect on preference for an intact male as measured in a No Contact partner preference test. Rats receiving zaprinast tend to exhibit reduced locomotor activity in both experiments. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that modulation of the NO-cGMP pathway using a PDE-5 inhibitor alters the display of paced mating behaviors in rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover NH 03755, USA. ann.s.clark@dartmouth.edu
authors.forename: Ann S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: Sarah H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Meerts
authors.forename: Fay A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Guarraci
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D052586:Mating Preference, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D020714:Maximum Tolerated Dose; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000379:methods; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000494:pharmacology; D011372:Progestins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011688:Purinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D011372:Progestins; D011688:Purinones; D011374:Progesterone; C011145:zaprinast