ED 01. The effects of herbal formula (KBMSI-1, KBMSI-2) on the penile erection and corpus cavernosum in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats

Purpose: The aim of this study was designed to investigate the effects of herbal formulation (KBMSI-1, KBMSI-2) on erectile dysfunction in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model.

Material and Methods: We used male Sprague-Dawley rats aged 12 weeks and divided into four groups; control (n=8), diabetes (DM) (n=8), DM + KBMSI-1200 mg/kg treatment (n=8), DM + KBMSI-2 200 mg/kg treatment (n=8) groups. The DM groups received a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Distilled water was administered in the control and DM group. To investigate the penile erection, intracavernosal pressure (ICP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded in all groups. We analyzed the distribution of NOS by immunohistochemical staining and the expression of nNOS, eNOS concentration in the isolated corpus cavernosum by western blotting.

Results: Peak ICP/MAP ratio was markedly increased in the treatment group with KBMSI-1 and KBMSI-2 200 mg/kg compared with DM group (P<0.05). Masson's trichrome staining of corpus cavernosum showed increases volume of smooth muscles and the regular arrangement of collagen fibers in KBMSI-1 and KBMSI-2 200 mg/kg treatment group compared with DM group. Also the penile expression levels of nNOS, eNOS in KBMSI-1 and KBMSI-2 200 mg/kg treatment group were more increased significantly than DM group by western blotting.

Conclusions: This study showed that KBMSI-1 and KBMSI-2 enhances the penile erection and the level of eNOS and nNOS expression of penile corpus cavernosum of male diabetic rats.