Effect of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) and sildenafil on serotonin metabolism and some oxidative damage markers in rat prostate gland and brain

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of sildenafil and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (drugs used in erectile dysfunction) on production of free radicals in prostate and brain of rat. A single dose of sildenafil (10 mg kg(-1) ) and PGE1 (20 μg kg(-1) ) was given to Sprague-Dawley rats (300 g weight) intraperitoneally. The levels of testosterone were measured in blood. Their brains and prostate glands were separated to measure lipid peroxidation, Na(+) and K(+) ATPase activity, reduced glutathione (GSH) and serotonin levels, by means of validated methods. The levels of testosterone increased slightly in animals treated with sildenafil and PGE1. The activity of total ATPase was increased in the prostate of animals treated with sildenafil + PGE1 but decreased in those that received sildenafil alone. PGE1 caused significant diminution of GSH levels in both organs. Sildenafil increased the levels of serotonine in brain, whereas in prostate they decreased instead. Our results suggest that sildenafil induced changes in GSH levels as well as in the serotonergic metabolism, alone or with PGE1 in prostate and brain, respectively. Thus, the combination therapy may be ideal to sustain the biochemical balance due to biphasic stimulation on brain and prostate.