Effect of sildenafil on the blood vessels [angiogenic effect] of adult rat striatal neurons

ABSTRACT

Sildenafil [Viagra] is a selective inhibitor of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate [cGMP] specific phosphodiesterase 5 [PDE5] used for the oral treatment of male erectile dysfunction of organic, psychogenic or mixed aetionlogy. The corpus striatum is the largest component of the basal ganglia which is located within the depth of each cerebral hemisphere and have a diverse function ranging from movement control, cognitive function and regulation of emotional behaviour. The study aimed to study the effect of sildenafil citrate on the striatal neurons of adult albino rats. Fifteen adult male albino rats would included in the study, ten of them were given 2mg/kg sildenafil citrate orally on alternate days for one month and five rats would taken as a controls. The animals were anaesthetized with ether and perfused with fixative solution, then the animals were decapitated and the brains were extracted. Slices of striatal neurons were carefully dissected and fixed in 5% buffered glutardehyde and electron microscopic technique was made and semithin and ultrathin sections were obtained and examined by light and electron microscopically. The results revealed severe dilatation and congestion of the blood vessels of rat striatal neurons compared to controls. This may be mediated through enhancement of nitric oxide [NO]-mediated effects. Sildenfil citrate induced angiogenic effect of adult male striatal neurons which may suggest that sildenfil may have a role in treatment of some neurological disorders such as multiple sclerosis and cerebrovascular stroke which may need further investigation