Effect of leech-centipede medicine on improving erectile function in diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction rats via PDE5 signalling pathway-related molecules
Research article published in Pharmaceutical biology (2021)
Abstract
CONTEXT: The leech and centipede granules have good curative effects on many diabetic vascular diseases, including diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction (DIED). OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of leech and centipede on erectile function in rats with diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction and its possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley DIED rats were randomly divided into the model group (Group M), low-dose group (Group DD), high-dose group (Group DG) and tadalafil group (Group T) (n = 6); diabetic rats were induced by streptozotocin. Apomorphine was used to induce diabetic erectile dysfunction. The 'leech-centipede' granules (0.15 and 0.6 g/kg) were intragastrically administered in the DD and DG groups for 8 weeks. Blood glucose, serum insulin, testosterone, cGMP levels and protein expression changes were measured in each group. RESULTS: After 8 weeks, the erectile function of rats in the DG group significantly improved (1.26 ± 0.73). Penis tissue cGMP levels were higher in the DG group (1.48 ± 0.11) than in the M group (0.58 ± 0.15). Protein and mRNA expression levels of NOS were significantly higher (0.77 ± 0.05; 0.61 ± 0.02) but those of PDE5 (0.43 ± 0.05; 0.61 ± 0.03) were lower in the DG group than in the M group (0.37 ± 0.06; 0.51 ± 0.01; 0.78 ± 0.06; 0.81 ± 0.04). CONCLUSION: The leech-centipede can improve erectile dysfunction in DIED rats by regulating the expression of cGMP, NOS, and PDE5-related molecules in the PDE5 pathway. This study provides a potential mechanism for the treatment of DIED with leech-centipede.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
The leech and centipede granules have good curative effects on many diabetic vascular diseases.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este estudio preclínico exploró si los gránulos de sanguijuela-ciempiés mejoran la función eréctil en ratas con disfunción eréctil diabética (DIED) inducida por estreptozotocina a través de la vía de señalización de PDE5. Tras 8 semanas de administración intragástrica, el grupo de dosis alta mostró una mejora significativa de la función eréctil, niveles elevados de cGMP en el tejido peniano, aumento de la expresión de proteína y ARNm de NOS, y disminución de la expresión de PDE5 en comparación con el grupo modelo. Los hallazgos sugieren que la sanguijuela-ciempiés modula el eje cGMP-NOS-PDE5 en el tejido peniano. Esto es directamente relevante para el ámbito de ASH, ya que investiga los efectos biológicos de material derivado de sanguijuela en un modelo de enfermedad. Sin embargo, aplican advertencias clave: se trata de un estudio en animales que utiliza gránulos combinados de sanguijuela-ciempiés en un contexto de medicina tradicional china, no del secretoma purificado de sanguijuela ni de hirudoterapia con sanguijuelas vivas; el tamaño muestral fue pequeño (n=6 por grupo), y la formulación y la vía de administración difieren sustancialmente de la práctica clínica de la hirudoterapia.
Citación
Effect of leech-centipede medicine on improving erectile function in diabetes-induced erectile dysfunction rats via PDE5 signalling pathway-related molecules
Wang JS · Pharmaceutical biology, 2021
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: 18 de junio de 2026