Sildenafil is the generic name of Viagra which was the first erectile dysfunction drug approved by the FDA back in 1998. The drug was created by Pfizer’s chemists and is now marketed by the company.
Background of Sildenafil
Sildenafil did not begin its life as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. When Pfizer began researching the drug, the chemists were trying to find a treatment for hypertension and for angina pectoris. They developed the drug then started the trials for angina pectoris. Initially, the chemists were disappointed because the drug didn’t seem to be effective in treating the disorder. However, many of the patients did report that Sildenafil caused them to have an erection even though they had suffered from erectile dysfunction.
Once the chemists discovered this possibility, they changed the focus of their research and started new trials based on ED treatment using Sildenafil. These trials were effective and were the basis of the FDA’s approval of the medication.
Pfizer originally patented the PDE-5 inhibitor mechanism, but this patent was overturned in 2002 by the courts. As a result, Sidenafil faced completion from two other PDE-5 inhibitors which were approved in 2003.
The Chemistry of Sildenafil
PDE-5 inhibitors, such as Sildenafil, work in much the same way. To understand how the drugs work, one must understand the basics of how an erection occurs. After sexual stimulation occurs, the smooth muscle in the penis relaxes and allows blood to flow into it more easily allowing the erection to occur. For these muscles to relax, the body needs an enzyme known as cGMP. Unfortunately, cGMP levels are reduced by another enzyme known as PDE-5. Sildenafil actually prevents PDE-5 from performing this function. As long as cGMP levels are kept high, erections are easier to achieve and sustain.
Viagra & Sildenafil
Viagra, the first oral erectile dysfunction treatment approved by the FDA, contains sildenafil as its active ingredient. The “little blue pill” contains 25, 50, or 100 milligrams of sildenafil per dose. In addition to sildenafil, Viagra also includes a number of inactive ingredients, such as microcrystalline cellulose, magnesium stearate, calcium hydrogen phosphate, and croscarmellose. When you choose the generic version of Viagra, known by its active ingredient name, the only difference may be in some of the inactive ingredients. However, this does not change the effectiveness of the treatment.
Besides some small differences in inactive ingredients, the appearance of the pills and the price may also be difference between name brand Viagra and its generic equivalent, Sildenafil.
