Efficacy of vardenafil in human nasal mucosa

Objective: Levitra, a phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, is the trade name of vardenafil. It is applied to treatment of erectile dysfunction. PDE5 inhibitors dilate the penile blood vessels and cause prolonged erections. However, the effects of Levitra on human nasal mucosa are not yet fully explored. Materials and methods: We examined the effectiveness of Levitra on human nasal mucosa directly in vitro by testing: 1) effect on human nasal mucosa resting tension; 2) effect on contraction caused by 10−6 M methoxamine as a sympathetic mimetic; 3) effect of the drugs on electrically induced human nasal mucosa contractions. Results: The results showed that addition of methoxamine to the incubation medium caused the nasal mucosa to contract in a dose-dependent manner. Addition of Levitra at doses of 10−4 M elicited a significant relaxation response to 10−6 M methoxamine-induced mucosa strip contraction. Levitra could not inhibit electrical field stimulation-induced spike contraction and had a minimal effect on the basal tension of nasal mucosa as the concentration increased. Conclusion: This study indicated that high concentrations of Levitra had a significant spasmolytic effect by antagonizing α-adrenoceptors. Moreover, nasal obstruction might not be relieved in patients suffering from erectile dysfunction and stuffy noses who were concomitant using α-adrenergic agonist and Levitra.