title: Neutral endopeptidase inhibition: could it have a role in the treatment of female sexual arousal disorder?
abstract: Female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) is the inability to attain or maintain an adequate lubrication-swelling response of sexual excitement. The potentiation of vascular responses leading to increased blood flow in clitoris and vagina has represented the main focus in the pharmacological treatment of FSAD, including the evaluation of the type 5 phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. However, due to a lack of clear efficacy, there is no approved pharmacotherapy for FSAD to date. In the present issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology, Wayman et al. show that the administration by intravenous or intravaginal routes of a novel neutral endopeptidase inhibitor, UK-414,445, results in enhanced genital blood flow responses to pelvic nerve stimulation in female rabbits, without significantly affecting blood pressure. Neutral endopeptidase inhibition, by preserving vasoactive peptides such as vasoactive intestinal polypeptide, raises the possibility of a new pharmacological approach to the treatment of FSAD.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Investigación, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal, Madrid, Spain. javier.angulo@hrc.es
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Angulo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D005836:Genitalia, Female / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000294:innervation; D015260:Neprilysin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000294:innervation; D010421:Pentanoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011817:Rabbits; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D020018:Sexual Dysfunctions, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013830:Thiadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D010421:Pentanoic Acids; D013830:Thiadiazoles; C550955:UK-414,495; D014660:Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide; D015260:Neprilysin
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