Adefegha_2018_Biomed.Pharmacother_107_1473

This study sought to compare the effects of quercetin and rutin on some enzymes linked to erectile function as well as antioxidant status in penile tissue of paroxetine - induced erectile dysfunction in rats. Animals were randomly divided into twelve groups: normal control (NC), sildenafil (SD), quercetin (QA) (25 and 50 mg/kg), rutin (RU) (25 and 50 mg/kg), PAR (10 mg/kg); PAR + SD; PAR + QA, PAR + RU (25 and 50 mg/kg). After 14 days' treatment, phosphodiesterase-5' (PDE-5'), arginase, adenosine deaminase (ADA), acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and angiotensin-I converting enzyme (ACE) activities as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) and non-protein thiol levels were determined in rat penile tissues. Elevated levels of PDE-5', arginase, AChE, ADA and ACE activities and MDA were observed in PAR-induced rats with concomitant decrease in non-protein thiol levels when compared to the NC group. However, treatment with SD, QA and RU significantly reduced the activities of AChE, PDE-5', arginase, ADA and ACE and MDA levels and elevated non-protein thiol levels in penile tissues of PAR-induced rats. Furthermore, administration of QA and RU in PAR-induced rats modulated the key enzymes relevant to erection, improved antioxidant status and could be potential functional food ingredients and nutraceuticals in the prevention and/or management of erectile dysfunction.