USE OF TRANSDERMAL GEL OF SILDENAFIL CITRATE IN SEXUAL DYSFUNCTION

Premature Ejaculation (PE) is one of the most common forms of Sexual Dysfunction and is thought to affect up to 30 % of men.  This is the most frequently encountered sexual complaint of men and couples. The physical problem associated with premature ejaculation can be simply described as “over-sensitivity” of the penis. Psychological causes of PE are often associated with “performance anxiety” – anxiety relating to sexual intercourse.  The most common treatment today is the oral treatment with phosphodiesterase -5 (PDE-5) inhibitors. There are currently three different inhibitors available Sildenafil, Vardenafil, and Tadalafil.  Sildenafil citrate is a drug of choice used in the treatment of premature ejaculation disorder. It was licensed for use in the United States in 1998; Sildenafil has shown in studies that it improves ED in men regardless of disease etiology, severity of disease, or even age. Transdermal gel has gained more and more importance because the gel based formulations are better percutaneously absorbed than creams and ointment bases.  Transdermal drug delivery systems are defined as self-contained, discrete dosage forms which, when applied to the intact skin, deliver the drug, through the skin, at a controlled rate to the systemic circulation. Present Status – A review by Barry in 2001 showed, the transdermal route has vied with oral treatment as the most successful innovative research area in drug delivery.