The relaxant effect of extract, fractions and major component, eleutheroside E, from Eleutherococcus senticosus was evaluated on penile corpus cavernosum smooth muscle (PCCSM) in a rabbit. The PCCSM contracted with 10 μM phenylephrine (Phe) was treated with extract and three fractions partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and n-butanol at a range of 1-4 mg/ml. Eleutheroside E was tested at final concentrations of 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 μM. The interaction of eleutheroside E with phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, udenafil, was also evaluated on PCCSM tension. The relaxations induced by ethanol extract and three fractions on PCCSM were effective in a dose-dependent manner and the relaxation of ethyl acetate fraction was the highest. Eleutheroside E dose-dependently induced the PCCSM relaxation and showed an additive effect with udenafil on PCCSM. The extract, ethyl acetate fraction and eleutheroside E from E. senticosus relaxed the Phe-precontracted PCCSM and eleutheroside E enhanced the udenafil-induced relaxation. It can be an alternative or supplement for patients with erectile dysfunction who want herbal medicines to improve penile erection or who do not completely respond to udenafil.
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Experimental Methods
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Conclusion
Acknowledgment
Conflict of Interest
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