Effects Of Subacute Sodium Hydrosulfide (H₂S Donor) Treatment On Erectile Dysfunction Secondary To Ischemic Priapism İn Rats
3rd INTERNATIONAL AND 28th NATIONAL PHARMACOLOGY CONGRESS, Antalya, Turkey, 20 - 23 November 2025, vol.1, no.1, pp.229-230, (Summary Text)
- Publication Type: Conference Paper / Summary Text
- Volume: 1
- City: Antalya
- Country: Turkey
- Page Numbers: pp.229-230
- Acibadem Mehmet Ali Aydinlar University Affiliated: Yes
Abstract
Effects Of Subacute Sodium Hydrosulfide (H₂S Donor) Treatment On Erectile Dysfunction Secondary To Ischemic Priapism İn Rats
Emine Nur Özbek1, Muhammed Akın Kantarcı2, Berfin Topal2, Talha Başar Koç3, Günay Yetik
Anacak4, Ozan Bozkurt5, Nergiz Durmuş2
1Ege University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Izmir, Türkiye.
2Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Pharmacology, Izmir, Türkiye.
3Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physiology, Izmir, Türkiye.
4Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Istanbul, Türkiye
5Dokuz Eylül University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Urology, Izmir, Türkiye.
Objective: Ischemic priapism (IP) is a painful erection lasting longer than four hours. Ischemia and subsequent reperfusion (IP-R) cause penile tissue injury and erectile dysfunction (ED). Current treatments (aspiration and intracavernous sympathomimetics) may induce reperfusion damage, and no proven therapy exists. Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), endogenously synthesised in penile tissue, regulates erectile function and has been shown to prevent reperfusion injury in other tissues. This study investigated the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of the H₂S donor NaHS.
Method: Adult Wistar rats were assigned to six groups: (1) Control, (2) IP, (3) Saline (1 week) + IP-R, (4) NaHS (1 week, 75 μg/mol) + IP-R, (5) IP-R + Saline (1 week), (6) IP-R + NaHS (1 week). The IP model was induced by vacuum erection for 4 h, while IP-R included 4 h ischemia followed by 1 h reperfusion. Erectile function was evaluated by intracavernous pressure/mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP). Penile tissues were homogenised, and H₂S levels were measured using the methylene blue method.
Results: The ICP/MAP ratio did not differ between IP and Control groups, but was significantly reduced in untreated IP-R groups (p<0.01, p<0.001). Prophylactic NaHS improved erectile function in NaHS+IP-R versus Saline+IP-R (p<0.001), whereas no improvement was observed when NaHS was administered after reperfusion. Endogenous H₂S levels were significantly reduced in IP and IP-R groups (p<0.001). Prophylactic NaHS increased H₂S levels compared to Saline+IP-R (p<0.05), but therapeutic NaHS after reperfusion had no effect.
Conclusion: NaHS exhibits prophylactic, but not therapeutic, protective effects against reperfusion-related injury in experimental ischemic priapism. These findings suggest H₂S donors may serve as supportive agents to prevent ED secondary to priapism and warrant further investigation.
Acknowledgement: This study was supported by TÜBİTAK 1001 (grant no: 223S979).
Keywords: Priapism, Erectile dysfunction, Hydrogen sulfide