Scientists reported on Monday that they are in the process of developing a topical anti-impotence cream.
Writing in the Journal of Sexual Medicine, scientists from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University found that topical versions of Viagra, Levitra and Cialis could be absorbed through the skin with fewer side effects, and quicker reaction time.
According to BBC Health, erectile dysfunction pills may have been used by tens of millions of men so far, mostly with great success. However, they do carry the risk of certain side effects, such as headaches, blurred vision, or upset stomach.
Also, men who are at risk of heart attack or stroke are advised to stay away from the tablets.
But the development of a topical erectile dysfunction treatment would resolve these issues, scientists said, because they would allow treatments to be focused on one part of the body, rather than dispersed throughout, as in tablet form.
However, development of such creams could be at least 10 years from fruition, scientists said.
The New York research team studied lab rats that were red to have erectile dysfunction. They used nanoparticles to create a way to encapsulate the drug in the cream form.
Researchers studied the effects of nanoparticles containing Cialis, sialorphin, and nitric oxide, among 11 rats with erectile dysfunction.
“Most of the animals, nearly 90 percent, showed a response to treatment with the nanoparticles,” said co-author Joel M. Friedman.
“In addition, when we applied the nanoparticles at therapeutic doses, we found no indication of systemic side effects,” he said.
“The response time to the nanoparticles was very short, just a few minutes, which is basically what people want in an erectile dysfunction medication,” Dr Kelvin Davies, a researcher with the team, told BBC Health.
“In both rats and humans, it can take 30 minutes to one hour for oral erectile dysfunction medications to take effect.”
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