Tadalafil
CialisPubChem CID 110635 · 3D model
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Relaxes smooth muscle in specific tissues by blocking the enzyme that normally shuts off a blood-vessel-relaxing signal, boosting blood flow to the penis during arousal and easing pressure from an enlarged prostate.
How it works
During sexual arousal, the body releases a chemical signal that tells blood vessels in the penis to relax and fill with blood; tadalafil doesn't create that signal, it blocks the enzyme that normally breaks it down, so the effect lasts longer and blood flow increases more than it would alone. That's why arousal is still needed for it to work. The same smooth-muscle-relaxing effect also seems to ease pressure in the prostate and bladder area, which is why it's also used for symptoms of an enlarged prostate, though exactly how it helps there isn't as well understood.
What it’s used for
Tadalafil (Cialis) is prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction, symptoms of an enlarged prostate (benign prostatic hyperplasia), or both together. A different brand of the same drug, Adcirca, is used at a different dose to treat a serious lung condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension.
- Mechanism
- Phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor
- Drug class
- Small molecule
- Therapeutic area
- Vascular