Register for Nitroglycerin Reduces Pain And Symptoms
Female Sexual DysfunctionNovember 22-29, 2001
2001 NOV 22 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Cellegy Pharmaceuticals, Inc., announced that Jennifer Berman, MD, a women's health researcher at the University of California, Los Angeles Medical Center, presented results of a study of nitroglycerin in women with vulvadynia at the Female Sexual Function Forum in Boston, Massachusetts, in October (2001).
An estimated 43% of women in the United States suffer from sexual dysfunction, of which dyspareunia, pain before, during or after sexual intercourse, is the main component. Dyspareunia is caused by at least two disorders, vulvadynia and vaginismus. Vulvadynia (vulvar pain) is a pain disorder that not only inhibits sexual intercourse but also can lead to difficulties in walking and even sitting. In vaginismus, the muscles of the lower third of the vagina are highly contracted, inhibiting normal sexual intercourse or vaginal examination by a physician.
This open-label study, made possible under an unrestricted grant supplied by Cellegy, was conducted in 12 patients. Berman reported that all 12 women had reproducible pain during an office visit that was relieved by application of nitroglycerin ointment within five minutes. Six subjects who participated in the three-month study had a significant reduction of pain during sexual activity.
Berman concluded that treatment with 0.2% nitroglycerin ointment appears to be effective in providing temporary relief of vaginal pain and labial pain in women with vulvadynia. In particular, application of 0.2% nitroglycerin applied prior to sexual activity significantly decreased pain related to vaginal penetration. Although well tolerated, headache occurred in the majority of women.
"Cellegy is encouraged by the results of this trial, which suggest possible new high value indications for Anogesic (nitroglycerin ointment) in female sexual dysfunction," said K. Michael Forrest, Cellegy. "Cellegy plans to sponsor a series of controlled studies using nitroglycerin for these and other related indications in the very near future. This new program will capitalize on Cellegy's proven expertise with nitroglycerin and will significantly complement our female sexual dysfunction product, Tostrelle (testosterone gel), which is moving into advanced clinical trials for declining libido resulting from testosterone deficiency." This article was prepared by Women's Health Weekly editors from staff and other reports.
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