Sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, has found success in a number of other medical applications. It can increase the odds for the success of in-vitro fertilization in certain female candidates, and it may someday help to heal the radiation wounds of cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Viagra isn’t just for erectile dysfunction anymore. While not exactly breaking news, the versatility of the groundbreaking treatment for male impotence continues to expand as more new applications for the drug become known.
Roughly seven years after its introduction as the key ingredient in Viagra, sildenafil citrate was recognized by the Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension, high blood pressure that targets the lungs. The FDA in 2005 gave its stamp of approval to Pfizer’s marketing of 20 mg sildenafil under the brand-name Revatio to treat PAH.
Other Medical Applications
In the years since, sildenafil has found additional medical applications, including as a treatment for altitude sickness, Raynaud’s disease, and also as a treatment for prostate cancer when used in combination with doxorubicin, a chemotherapy drug.
Recent news reports reveal two more medical applications for sildenafil, including one that’s been around for years but hasn’t been widely publicized.
Could Heal Radiation Burns
According to a report at DailyMail.co.uk, a gel made from sildenafil may be effective in treating one of the most common side effects observed in cancer patients undergoing radiation treatment.
Up to 85 percent of cancer patients who undergo radiotherapy treatment experience painful red or blistered skin in the areas on which radiation therapy is focused. The longer the rounds of radiation are, the greater the risk for such side effects.
Gel Contains Sildenafil
Now, scientists have developed a water-based gel that contains 5 percent sildenafil. Preliminary testing in animals shows that the gel protects against and treats this skin damage. Scientists found that radiation wounds treated with the gel healed more quickly than those that were untreated.
The sildenafil in the gel is said to trigger the release of nitric oxide, which helps to heal wounds by increasing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the affected areas. Much more research remains to be done before the sildenafil-enriched gel is ready for testing in humans.
Help for IVF Candidates
Although it’s never received widespread publicity, sildenafil has also been helping certain female in-vitro fertilization candidates to conceive despite endometrial linings less than 8 mm (0.31 inch) in thickness.
In IVF candidates with less-than-optimal endometrial lining thickness, doctors administer the sildenafil via a 20 mg suppository beginning shortly after the end of menstruation. Researchers have found that two days of sildenafil therapy can be sufficient to strengthen a thin endometrial lining and improve the chances for a successful IVF procedure.
More detailed information about the use of vaginal Viagra for the purposes of IVF can be found in the blog of Sher Fertility, which operates fertility clinics in Dallas, Las Vegas, New York, and St. Louis.
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