Prostaglandin E 1 versus Linsidomine Chlorhydrate in Erectile Dysfunction

Recent experimental work has demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) is the neurotransmitter responsible for cavernous smooth muscle relaxation. Different studies on the performance of the direct NO donor linsidomine chlorhydrate (SIN-1) in patients with erectile dysfunction have had conflicting results. We performed a single-blind cross-over trial in 20 patients with erectile dysfunction of mixed etiology comparing prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) to SIN-1 at two different dosages (1 and 2 mg, respectively) in order to determine the effectiveness of SIN-1. PGE1 always achieved the best response, SIN-1 performed statistically significantly poorer irrespective of the dosage used. There were only a few side effects with no significant difference. SIN-1 is not a useful alternative to PGE1 in the treatment of erectile dysfunction.