Aim: To evaluate the relaxant effect of verapamil on human corpus cavernosum in vitro and to assess the drug's potential as a treatment for erectile dysfunction (ED).

Methods: Preparations of the human corpus cavernosum were obtained from recently deceased young men who had had normal erectile function. The isometric tension and detailed curves were recorded when contractions induced by 10 mmol/L phenylephrine were reduced by different doses of verapamil or the vehicle control (sterile water). The tension of human corpus cavernosum preparations are described as a percentage of their top tension before adding verapamil or the vehicle. ANOVA and least significant difference tests were used for statistical analysis.

Results: Doses of 1 mol/L, 10 mol/L and 100 mol/L verapamil resulted in relaxation of (35.28 7.96)%, (55.91 6.41)%, (85.68 4.16)% after 30 min, respectively. The vehicle control at the same time point produced relaxation of (-0.06 10.57)% (P < 0.05).

Conclusion: Verapamil is significantly effective in relaxing normal human corpus cavernous smooth muscle induced by phenylephrine in vitro and the relaxant effect depends on the concentration of verapamil.

Keywords: verapamil, erectile dysfunction, penis, calcium channel blocker

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