title: Novel water-soluble curcumin derivative mediating erectile signaling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Curcumin is an inducer of heme oxygenase enzyme-1 (HO-1) that is involved in erectile signaling via elevating cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of oral administration of a water-soluble long-acting curcumin derivative on erectile signaling.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two hundred and thirty six male white albino rats were divided into four groups; group 1 (N = 20) includes control. Group 2 (N = 72) was equally divided into four subgroups; subgroup 1 received pure curcumin (10 mg/kg), subgroup 2 received the long-acting curcumin derivative (2 mg/kg), subgroup 3 received the long-acting curcumin derivative (10 mg/kg), and subgroup 4 received sildenafil (4 mg/kg). Subgroups were sacrificed after the first, second, and third hour. Group 3 (N = 72) was equally divided into the same four subgroups already mentioned and were sacrificed after 24 hours, 48 hours, and 1 week. Group 4 (N = 72) was subjected to intracavernosal pressure (ICP) measurements 1 hour following oral administration of the same previous doses in the same rat subgroups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cavernous tissue HO enzyme activity, cGMP, and ICP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In group 2, there was a significant progressive maintained elevation of HO activity and cGMP tissue levels starting from the first hour in subgroups 3 and 4, whereas, the rise in HO activity and cGMP started from second hour regarding the other rat subgroups. Sildenafil effect decreased after 3 hours. In group 3, there was a significant maintained elevation of HO activity and cGMP tissue levels extended to 1 week as compared to controls for all rat subgroups that received both forms of curcumin. In group 4, long-acting curcumin derivative exhibited more significant potentiation of intracavernosal pressure as compared to control and to the pure curcumin.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Water-soluble long-acting curcumin derivative could mediate erectile function via upregulating cavernous tissue cGMP.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University-Medical Biochemistry, Unit of Molecular Biology, Cairo, Egypt.
authors.forename: Mohamed Talaat
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
authors.forename: Mohammed F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: El Asmer
authors.forename: Ameen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rezq
authors.forename: Taha Abdullah
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Kumosani
authors.forename: Samya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Taymour
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mostafa
authors.forename: Hazem
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Atta
authors.forename: Mohamed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz Wassef
authors.forename: Hanan H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Fouad
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rashed
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sabry
authors.forename: Amira A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Hassouna
authors.forename: Amira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Senbel
authors.forename: Ahmed
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abdel Aziz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003474:Curcumin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004790:Enzyme Induction / Q000187:drug effects; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D008297:Male; D010410:Penile Erection / Q000187:drug effects*; D010413:Penis / Q000187:drug effects; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D003474:Curcumin