Viagra: The New Discovery It Was Not Designed To Treat Erectile Dysfunction
Viagra, the brand name for sildenafil citrate, proves that luck has just as much to do with the pharmaceutical industry as design. Companies spend huge amounts of money and employ millions of scientists in order to develop medicinally effective drugs that will cure all of our medical problems. Economics are as much a driving force as the desire to ease the pain of worldwide sufferers. Each time a new drug is discovered that can effectively treat a common ailment, huge amounts of money can be made.
Lead Compounds
During the past few decades, the pharmaceutical industry has made great progress. Chemicals can now be discovered to treat common diseases thanks to the study of disease pathways and advanced molecular design techniques. Lead compounds is the term for these chemicals, and they refer to molecules that play a role in treating a medical condition, but require additional research to lower the side effects or increase their efficiency.
Numerous Trials
Scientists who are searching for a viable drug take these lead compounds and synthesize them to form many similar compounds. Thousands of these compounds may be tried unsuccessfully before an effective treatment is eventually discovered. Most of the trials prove the compounds to be ineffective and the research unsuccessful. In fact, this nearly occurred to the compound we know as Viagra.
Hypertension Research
During the late 1980s, a research group from Pfizer was searching for a compound to treat hypertension. They were attempting to enhance the activity of a particular compound named “atrial natriuretic peptide” or ANP. A natural diuretic, this compound relaxed the blood vessel walls and caused the kidney to increase urine production. Therefore, a drug that enhanced this activity could be used to lower high blood pressure.
Angina
After studying the mechanism that caused ANP to work, the research team considered lead compounds that could reduce the activity of one enzyme group involved in the mechanism called phosphodiesterases or PDEs. They discovered lead compounds that inhibited PDE-5 activity that involved in the muscles of platelets and blood vessels. These compounds could potentially treat angina by increasing blood flow to the heart, as well as thrombosis or blood clots that are caused by platelets.
Ineffective Results
For several reasons, attention was directed from hypertension treatment to the treatment of angina. In 1989, researchers took one of the promising lead compounds called UK-92, 480 to the next stage of clinical trials. Unfortunately, the compound failed to meet expectations and was not effective in treating angina.
Erections
Before the compound was discarded, some researchers noticed that 4 or 5 days after taking the drug, some trial participants achieved penile erections. The Pfizer scientists took notice and realized that inhibiting PDE-5’s activity was able to treat a cause of erectile dysfunction.
Biological Causes of Erectile Dysfunction
During this time period, scientists believed that erectile dysfunction was caused by more than just merely a psychological cause. They believed that the condition had an actual biological cause. Therefore, Pfizer scientists decided to complete trials with men who suffered from erectile dysfunction.
The Arrival of Viagra
After additional development and testing after these successful trials, Viagra was released to the public as a prescription drug. This discovery has changed the lives of individuals worldwide who suffered from erectile dysfunction for many years.