Effects of sildenafil and tadalafil on ischemia/reperfusion injury in fetal rat brain.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitory drugs, sildenafil and tadalafil, in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-induced oxidative injury in fetal rat brain.


METHODS
Timed pregnant adult Wistar rats were randomly assigned to the following groups (n = 6 for each group): saline + none I/R (1), saline + I/R (2), sildenafil + none I/R (3); sildenafil + I/R (4), tadalafil + none I/R (5) and tadalafil + I/R (6). Fetal ischemia was induced by clamping the utero-ovarian artery bilaterally. Fetuses were delivered and 268 fetal rats were decapitated. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were assessed in fetal brain tissue homogenates by spectrophotometric methods.


RESULTS
In saline + I/R group, MDA levels were increased and, SOD and GSH-Px activities were decreased significantly comparing with saline + none I/R group. Both tadalafil and sildenafil treatment decreased the MDA levels significantly in ischemia/reperfusion groups, whereas this effect was significantly more potent with tadalafil. SOD levels were significantly decreased in all groups after I/R. Tadalafil seems to be more effective than sildenafil by means of increasing GSH-Px activity significantly after I/R.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results indicate some beneficial effects of PDE5 inhibitory drugs, especially tadalafil, on oxidative I/R injury in fetal rat brains.
Ozdegirmenci
Ozlem
O
Department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Etlik Zubeyde Hanim Women's Health Teaching and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. ozlemerman@gmail.com
Kucukozkan
Tuncay
T
Akdag
Elvin
E
Topal
Turgut
T
Haberal
Ali
A
Kayir
Hakan
H
Oter
Sukru
S
Akyol
Mesut
M
Uzbay
Tayfun
T
D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology* / Q000473:pathology; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011247:Pregnancy; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000196:embryology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D000068581:Tadalafil; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
D002243:Carbolines; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D000068581:Tadalafil; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase