Clinical data | |
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Pronunciation | sil-DEN-ə-fil |
Trade names | Viagra, Revatio, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a699015 |
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Routes of administration |
By mouth (tablets), IV |
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Pharmacokinetic data | |
Bioavailability | 41% (mean) |
Protein binding | ~96% |
Metabolism | Liver: CYP3A4 (major route), CYP2C9 (minor route) |
Metabolites | N-desmethylsildenafil (~50% potency for PDE5) |
Biological half-life | 3–4 hours |
Excretion | Feces (~80%), urine (~13%) |
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PDB ligand | |
ECHA InfoCard | 100.122.676 |
Chemical and physical data | |
Formula | C22H30N6O4S |
Molar mass | 474.5764 g/mol |
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(what is this?) |
Sildenafil, sold as the brand name Viagra among others, is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Its effectiveness for treating sexual dysfunction in women has not been demonstrated.
Common side effects include headaches and heartburn, as well as flushed skin. Caution is advised in those who have cardiovascular disease. Rare but serious side effects include prolonged erections, which can lead to damage to the penis, and sudden-onset hearing loss. Sildenafil should not be taken by people who take nitrates such as nitroglycerin (glycerin trinitrate), as this may result in a severe and potentially fatal drop in blood pressure.
Sildenafil acts by inhibiting cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (phosphodiesterase 5, PDE5), an enzyme that promotes degradation of cGMP, which regulates blood flow in the penis.
Pfizer scientists Andrew Bell, David Brown, and Nicholas Terrett originally discovered sildenafil as a treatment for various cardiovascular disorders. Since becoming available in 1998, sildenafil has been a common treatment for erectile dysfunction; its primary competitors are tadalafil (trade name Cialis) and vardenafil (Levitra).
The primary indication of sildenafil is treatment of erectile dysfunction (inability to sustain a satisfactory erection to complete intercourse). Its use is now one of the standard treatment for erectile dysfunction, including for men with diabetes mellitus.