Dietary antioxidants improve arteriogenic erectile dysfunction

Abstract

Most cases of erectile dysfunction (ED) are associated with oxidative stress risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, smoking, hypercholesterolaemia and hypertension. Our goal was to search for markers of oxidative stress in arteriogenic ED and examine the protective role of dietary antioxidants. Atherosclerosis-induced ED was developed in rabbits by balloon de-endothelialization of the iliac arteries. Ballooned and age-matched control animals were assigned into subgroups receiving pomegranate extract antioxidants in drinking water or tap water as placebo. After 8 weeks, penile blood flow and erectile activity were recorded. Erectile tissue relaxation, oxidative products, oxidative stress-responsive genes and structure were examined using organ bath, enzyme immunoassay, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Arterial ballooning caused diffused atherosclerosis, decreased intracavernosal blood flow and led to ED. Impairment of endothelium-dependent relaxation, diffused fibrosis, increased oxidative products, upregulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and aldose reductase (AR) gene expression, mitochondrial and endothelial structural damage and increased caveolae were evident in erectile tissues from atherosclerotic animals receiving placebo. Upregulation of antioxidant enzymes SOD and AR failed to protect ischaemic erectile tissue from oxidative injury. Pomegranate extract significantly improved intracavernosal blood flow, erectile activity, smooth muscle relaxation and fibrosis of the atherosclerotic group in comparison with the atherosclerotic group receiving placebo, but did not normalize them to the age-matched control levels. Pomegranate extract appeared more effective in diminishing oxidative products, preventing SOD and AR gene upregulation, and protecting mitochondrial, endothelial and caveolae structural integrity of the atherosclerotic group. Our data suggest the presence of oxidative stress in ED and a more efficient action of antioxidants on molecular and ultrastructural alterations than on distinct functional deficit and structural damage in the ischaemic penis.

Disfunção erétil na diabetes – avaliação de alterações moleculares induzidas pelo stresse oxidativo

“…Estas desregulações moleculares podem afetar a estrutura celular do CC, induzindo por sua vez alterações deletérias nos mecanismos de vasorelaxamento [5][6][7] . De facto, surgem cada vez mais evidências que reforçam o papel central do stresse oxidativo na etiologia da DE diabética 9,10,18,19 . No entanto, os estudos de investigação básica centraram-se particularmente na avaliação da produção de ERO e no efeito da administração de antioxidantes 7,9,10,18,19 .…”

“…De facto, surgem cada vez mais evidências que reforçam o papel central do stresse oxidativo na etiologia da DE diabética 9,10,18,19 . No entanto, os estudos de investigação básica centraram-se particularmente na avaliação da produção de ERO e no efeito da administração de antioxidantes 7,9,10,18,19 . Deste modo, o presente trabalho caracterizou a condição redox sistémica e peniana em animais diabéticos, num estadio inicial (2 semanas) e avançado (8 semanas) da patologia.…”

Effects of natural mineral-rich water consumption on the expression of sirtuin 1 and angiogenic factors in the erectile tissue of rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome

“…In addition to medicinal products, nutritional patterns, mostly through the increased ingestion of plant-derived polyphenols, have emerged as an alternative or complementary intervention for the amelioration of MS 5253. Polyphenols are natural antioxidant molecules that are present in food and produce recognized beneficial effects that counteract the increase in oxidative stress, which is strongly associated with MS,255253 intervene in the prevention of CV diseases, significantly reduce mortality that is associated with CV diseases54 and ameliorate erectile function 5556…”

<b><i>Panax notoginseng</i></b> Saponins Improve Erectile Function through Attenuation of Oxidative Stress, Restoration of Akt Activity and Protection of Endothelial and Smooth Muscle Cells in Diabetic Rats with Erectile Dysfunction

“…A growing number of research has indicated that antioxidants can improve ED [7,12,13,14,15]. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether PNS are able to improve the erectile function of rats with DMED and whether the antioxidant effect of PNS underlies this mechanism.…”