title: Lycopene ameliorates erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.
abstract: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is characterized by oxidative stress, which is one of the major pathophysiological mechanisms underlying diabetic erectile dysfunction (ED). Lycopene is one of the most potent antioxidants among the natural carotenoids. The present study was aimed to investigate whether lycopene could lower oxidative stress and attenuate ED in diabetic rats. Lycopene (10, 30, 60 mg/kg/d) was administered via intragastric intubation for 8 weeks to streptozotocin (STZ) (50 mg/kg, i.v.) induced diabetic rats. The results showed that chronic lycopene treatment significantly and dose dependently restored ED in diabetic rats by lowering blood glucose, reducing oxidative stress and up-regulating eNOS expression. These results indicated that lycopene treatment is potentially a new strategy for treating diabetic ED.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Yanan University Affiliated Hospital, Yanan University, Yanan, PR China.
authors.forename: Ji-Xue
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Hong-Yi
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiao-Long
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: An-Sheng
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Bai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015153:Blotting, Western; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental / Q000150:complications*; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology*; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000378:metabolism; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D001786:Blood Glucose; D002338:Carotenoids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D000077276:Lycopene