The Effectiveness of Bupropion on the Sexual Function in Women with Orgasmic Disorders: A Pilot Study

Background: Women's orgasm is a biopsychosocial experience that causes a woman to experience sincere communication and pleasure, and possibly pregnancy. To date, limited studies conducted for evaluation of the efficacy of drugs on sexual function in women with anorgasmia. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of bupropion on the sexual function of a group of Iranian women with orgasmic disorders. Methods: This was a pilot randomized clinical trial study on 32 women with orgasm disorders, who referred to the psychosexual clinic of Khorshid hospital, Isfahan, Iran. Patients were selected by simple sampling method, and randomly divided into equal intervention and control groups. In intervention group, bupropion was started at a dose of 75 mg, and increased weekly to 300 mg; the control group received a placebo. Scores of sexual satisfaction and sexual function of participants were evaluated using the Persian version of the Larsson Sexual Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) before the intervention and 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after the onset of intervention. The data were analyzed using Mann-Whitney U and Friedman tests. Findings: There was a significant difference in desire subscale between the two experimental and control groups from the second week, and in mental arousal and vaginal lubrication from the fourth week of the trial. This significant difference was observed in orgasm, sexual satisfaction, and pain only at the sixth and eighth weeks, and between experimental and control groups in the total scores of sexual satisfaction from the second week (P < 0.010 for all). Conclusion: Bupropion caused improvement in sexual satisfaction of women with orgasmic disorders and these changes occurred in all subscales of sexual performance. Further studies are warranted with greater sample sizes and more extended periods.