Beneficial Effects of Scutellaria baicalensis on Penile Erection in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetic Rats.
We have reported that ethanol extracts of the root from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi (ESB) relax cavernous smooth muscles via the NO/cGMP system and Ca[Formula: see text]-sensitive K[Formula: see text] channels in the rabbit corpus cavernosum. In the present study, erectile function was assessed by intracavernous pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) during electrical stimulation of the cavernous nerve. The ICP/MAP ratio was dose-dependently increased by the treatment of ESB in normal SD rats ([Formula: see text]). To investigate the beneficial effect of ESB on erectile dysfunction in a diabetic animal model, male SD rats were injected with streptozotocin (60[Formula: see text]mg/kg) and then 300[Formula: see text]mg/kg/day ESB was administered daily for eight weeks. In our in vivo study, administration of ESB in STZ rats significantly increased the ICP, ICP/MAP ratio, area under the curve (AUC), as well as the cavernous cGMP levels. Morphometric analyses showed that ESB administration increased both smooth muscle volume and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers compared to the STZ group. The protein expression levels of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and SM [Formula: see text]-actin from penile tissues were also significantly increased in the ESB-treated rats. Taken together, these results suggest that ESB ameliorates penile erectile dysfunction via the activation of the NO/cGMP pathways of the penile corpus cavernosum in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.
['Li|Xiang|X|', 'Lee|Yun Jung|YJ|', 'Kim|Hye Yoom|HY|', 'Tan|Rui|R|', 'Park|Min Cheol|MC|', 'Kang|Dae Gill|DG|', 'Lee|Ho Sub|HS|']
D000199:Actins D000818:Animals D003921:Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental D004195:Disease Models, Animal D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug D007172:Erectile Dysfunction D066298:In Vitro Techniques D008297:Male D009126:Muscle Relaxation D009130:Muscle, Smooth D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III D010410:Penile Erection D010413:Penis D008517:Phytotherapy D010936:Plant Extracts D011817:Rabbits D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley D031364:Scutellaria baicalensis D013311:Streptozocin
Scutellaria baicalensis Penile Erection Diabetes NO/cGMP Corpus Cavernosum