Antioxidants in Male Sexual Dysfunctions

Besides their widely discussed role in empirical therapy of male infertility, antioxidants have been used in experimental studies also for treating male sexual dysfunctions. Oxidative stress is clearly involved in the pathogenesis of infertility: less consisting evidence has been found in regard to its involvement in erectile and ejaculatory dysfunctions. Nitric oxide (NO) is an endothelium-derived relaxing factor, acting as a vasodilator and as an antioxidant: it is also the key molecule involved in obtaining and maintaining an erection. Administration of NO has been investigated as a substitute for phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) inhibitors or an additional treatment for nonresponders to standard treatments. Furthermore, a possible role for testosterone as a free radical scavenger has been postulated: testosterone replacement therapy might help prevent oxidative stress-related dysfunctions in several organs. Oxidative stress is also involved in some forms of priapism: antioxidants might therefore be helpful in preventing recurrences or in treating vascular damage resulting from ischemia-reperfusion injury.