Effects of the Rho-kinase inhibitors, Y-27632 and fasudil, on the corpus cavernosum from diabetic mice

Relaxant responses to two Rho-kinase inhibitors, (+)-( R)- trans-4-(1-aminoethyl)- N-(4-pyridyl) cyclohexanecarboxamide dihydrochloride monohydrate (Y-27632) and fasudil, were compared in the corpus cavernosum obtained from diabetic and non-diabetic mice. Streptozotocin (100 mg kg −1 day −1, for 2 days) induced diabetes with a blood glucose level of 318±55.4 mg dl −1; whereas it was 85.4±4.1 mg dl −1 in control mice ( P0.05). The values for fasudil were 7.42±4.91 and 3.53±1.41 μM in the corpus cavernosum from control and diabetic mice, respectively ( P>0.05). These results may suggest that, in diabetes, the relaxant effects of the Rho-kinase inhibitors may not be changed and thus, they may have a beneficial therapeutic effect in diabetic erectile dysfunction.