Alprostadil, a synthetic form of prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), is a potent vasodilator that is chemically identical to the endogenously produced PGE1. In 1996, the FDA approved the use of alprostadil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, administered either through an intracavernosal injection or an intraurethral suppository. It is prescribed to men for whom oral treatment is either contraindicated or ineffective. Following administration, alprostadil promotes smooth muscle relaxation of the corpus cavernosal, thereby facilitating the treatment of erectile dysfunction.
In addition to its use in treating erectile dysfunction, alprostadil is also employed in the management of neonatal patients with congenital heart defects who depend on a patent ductus arteriosus for survival until corrective or palliative surgery can be performed. The drug's mechanism of action involves direct vasodilation of vascular and ductus arteriosus (DA) smooth muscle, which prevents or reverses the functional closure of the DA that typically occurs shortly after birth. As a result, alprostadil administration leads to increased pulmonary or systemic blood flow in infants, ensuring their survival until the necessary surgical interventions can be carried out.
