The objective of this review study is to evaluate the therapeutic role of PDE5 inhibitors (PDE5is) in the amelioration of oligoasthenospermia in infertile males. PDE5is have a beneficial influence on the secretory function of the Leydig and Sertoli cells, the biochemical environment within the seminiferous tubule, the contractility of the testicular tunica albuginea, and the prostatic secretory function. In several studies, the overall effect of sildenafil and vardenafil increased quantitative and qualitative sperm motility. Furthermore, some studies indicate that PDE5is influence positively the sperm capacity to undergo capacitation under biochemical conditions that are known to induce the sperm capacitation process. Additional research efforts are necessary in order to recommend unequivocally the usage of sildenafil, vardenafil, or avanafil for the alleviation of male infertility.
International journal of urology : official journal of the Japanese Urological Association. 2022 Oct 04 [Epub ahead of print]
Fotios Dimitriadis, Aris Kaltsas, Athanasios Zachariou, Charalampos Mamoulakis, Chara Tsiampali, Ioannis Giannakis, Minas Paschopoulos, Athanasios Papatsoris, Dimitrios Loutradis, Panagiota Tsounapi, Atsushi Takenaka, Nikolaos Sofikitis
Department of Urology, Aristotle University School of Medicine, Thessaloniki, Greece., Laboratory of Spermatology, Department of Urology, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece., Department of Urology, University General Hospital of Heraklion, University of Crete Medical School, Heraklion, Greece., Department of Ob/Gyn, Ioannina University School of Medicine, Ioannina, Greece., 2nd Department of Urology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece., Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece., Division of Urology, Department of Surgery, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.