Ameliorative effect of cranberry on erectile function in diabetic rats

• Published in: Istanbul Journal of Pharmacy Vol. 53; no. 3; pp. 302 - 307
• Main Authors: Oral, Didem Yilmaz, Onder, Alev, Gur, Serap
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istanbul University Press 01.12.2023
• Subjects: Impotence; Nitric oxide; Type 2 diabetes
• ISSN: 2587-2087; 2548-0731; 2587-2087
• DOI: 10.26650/IstanbulJPharm.2023.1167417

Background and Aims: Cranberry products are beneficial in erectile dysfunction (ED). Therefore, we assessed the impact of Cranberry fruit extract (Cranberry-E) on in vivo erectile response and in vitro relaxant responses in the corpus cavernosum (CC). Methods: Rats (n=10) were divided into control and diabetic groups. In vivo erectile function was measured following intracavernosal injection of Cranberry-E. The relaxation responses to Cranberry-E were obtained after pre-contraction with phenylephrine (Phe, 10 [micro]M) and KCl (60 mM). Cranberry-E caused relaxant responses in the incubation with nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blocker (L-NAME, 100 [micro]M) and soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) blocker (ODQ, 30 [micro]M), and relaxation responses of cavernosal tissue were calculated before and after the incubation with Cranberry-E. Results: Erectile responses were significantly reduced in diabetic animals as compared to controls (p<0.001), which was normalized after the intracavernous administration of Cranberry-E. There was no difference in the relaxation responses to Cranberry-E between the control and diabetic groups. Cranberry-E induced the relaxation of cavernosal tissue, which remained unaltered in the presence of L-NAME and ODQ. Relaxation responses to Cranberry decreased after KCl-induced precontraction (p<0.001). The relaxation of cavernosal tissue increased after Cranberry-E incubation. Conclusion: Cranberry-E improved diabetes-induced ED and induced relaxation of cavernosal tissue via a nitric oxide-independent mechanism. Thus, cranberry consumption is likely to be effective as a potential strategy to prevent diabetes- induced ED. Keywords: Cranberry-E, Corpus cavernosum, diabetes, erectile function, ericaceae, Vaccinium oxycoccos L.