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The effects of 5HT1 agonists on erection in rats in vivo and rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro

International Journal of Impotence Research volume 14, pages 205–212 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

We have examined the effects of the selective 5-HT1a and 5-HT1b agonists 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OHDPAT) and 7-trifluoromethyl-4-(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline (CGS12066b), respectively on erection in rats in vivo and rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro. Apomorphine (0.1 mg/kg) induced 3.1±0.4 erections in vehicle-pretreated animals. At the highest doses tested 8-OHDPAT (0.4–0.64 mg/kg) and CGS12066b (1.0–10.0 mg/kg) significantly reduced apomorphine erection to 0.9±0.3 erections and 0.5±0.2 erections respectively. The nonselective 5-HT agonist metachlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP; 0.1 mg/kg) elicited characteristic increases in cavernous nerve activity (CNA) and intracavernous pressure responses (ICP) in anesthetized rats. 8-OHDPAT (0.64 mg/kg) and CGS12066b (1.0 mg/kg) failed to elicit CNA or ICP responses. CGS12066b reduced ICP responses resulting from the direct stimulation of the cavernous nerve whereas 8-OHDPAT did not. CGS12066b reduced the CNA and ICP responses to m-CPP administration whereas 8-OHDPAT potentiated m-CPP induced CNA and ICP responses. In isolated rabbit corpus cavernosum (CC) 8-OHDPAT and CGS12066b both failed to alter noradrenergic induced contraction and non-adrenergic non-cholinergic relaxation. Our results indicate that selective 5-HT1a and 5-HT1b agonists have different effects in different models of erection.

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Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the National University of Singapore for financial support of this research. LC Lau and B Srilatha are thanked for review of the manuscript.

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  1. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The National University of Singapore, Singapore

    E S Hayes & P G Adaikan

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  1. E S Hayes
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  2. P G Adaikan
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Correspondence to E S Hayes.

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Hayes, E., Adaikan, P. The effects of 5HT1 agonists on erection in rats in vivo and rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro. Int J Impot Res 14, 205–212 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijir.3900848

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