Doctors know that some erectile dysfunction drugs can be used successfully for other indications..

In particular, sildenafil (Viagra) is sometimes used for cardiovascular diseases..

Initially, this medicine was conceived specifically for cardiology..

The other day, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine (USA) stated that sildenafil is able to protect the liver from damage as a result of sepsis, a severe systemic reaction to infection.. The results of their work were published in the journal Science Signaling..

“Infection can lead to the release of chemicals that cause systemic inflammation with life-threatening damage to internal organs, including the liver and kidneys.. Sepsis is the No. 1 cause of death in our intensive care units,” wrote study lead author Dr. Timothy Billiar, professor and director of surgery at the Pitt School of Medicine..

“Sepsis is an extremely complex problem, so the ability to use an existing drug on the market is inspiring,” continues Dr..

Sepsis causes the production of a protein called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which helps fight infection but is very harmful to cells in large amounts.. Scientists have found that in mice with sepsis, sildenafil causes an increase in the production of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), a substance that causes cells to “hide” external TNF receptors.. This reduces the effect of TNF on hepatocytes, preventing damage to the organ.. Experiments on human liver cells confirm the protective effect of Viagra.

“Our study has shown that increasing the production of cyclic GMP may be useful in combating the inflammation that accompanies sepsis.. Sildenafil and other drugs in this group may be a good choice for early warning of damage to internal organs,” the scientists concluded..

In the near future, they plan to repeat their experiments on large laboratory animals..

medbe. en.