Clinical Neuropharmacology

Home Current Issue Previous Issues Published Ahead-of-Print For Authors Journal Info
Skip Navigation LinksHome > November/December 2008 - Volume 31 - Issue 6 > Role of Sildenafil in Neurological Disorders
Clinical Neuropharmacology:
November/December 2008 - Volume 31 - Issue 6 - pp 353-362
doi: 10.1097/WNF.0b013e31815cd94c
Review Article

Role of Sildenafil in Neurological Disorders

Farooq, Muhammad U. MD; Naravetla, Bharath MD; Moore, Philip W. DO; Majid, Arshad MD, FRCP; Gupta, Rishi MD; Kassab, Mounzer Y. MD, MA

Collapse Box

Abstract

Sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor commonly used for erectile dysfunction, may also have a beneficial therapeutic effect in the treatment of stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, dementia, learning, and neurodegenerative disorders by enhancing angiogenesis and neurogenesis. It also favorably influences the nitric oxide-cyclic guanosine monophosphate pathways, which are involved in the pathogenesis of a number of neurological diseases. Its potential therapeutic role in the treatment of the neurological disorders mentioned above is still under preclinical investigation. Sildenafil is currently being used to treat erectile dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease, multisystem atrophy, and spinal cord injury by improving their neurologically related erectile dysfunction. Conversely, it has been implicated in a number of neurological problems, such as intracerebral hemorrhage, migraine, seizure, transient global amnesia, nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy, macular degeneration, branch retinal artery occlusion, and ocular muscle palsies. Thus, preclinical and very limited clinical data suggest that sildenafil may have therapeutic potential in selected neurological disorders. However, numerous reports are available regarding neurological adverse events ascribed to the drug. Although sildenafil shows some promise as a therapeutic agent in selected neurological disorders, well-designed clinical trials are needed before the agent can be recommended for use in any neurological disorder.

© 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc.

You currently do not have access to this article.

You may need to:

Note: If your society membership provides for full-access to this article, you may need to login on your society’s web site first.

Article Tools

You currently do not have access to this article.

You may need to:

Note: If your society membership provides for full-access to this article, you may need to login on your society’s web site first.

Search for Similar Articles
You may search for similar articles that contain these same keywords or you may modify the keyword list to augment your search.