Ren Yan, Yuan Jing, Xue Yueguang, Zhang Yiming, Li Shilin, Liu Cuiqing, Liu Ying
School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing, 100190, China.
Mater Today Bio. 2023 Feb 20;19:100588. doi: 10.1016/j.mtbio.2023.100588. eCollection 2023 Apr.
Organic erectile dysfunction (ED) is a type of sexual disorder in men that is usually associated with illness, surgical injury, normal aging and has a high incidence across the globe. And the essence of penile erection is a neurovascular event regulated by a combination of factors. Nerve and vascular injury are the main causes of erectile dysfunction. Currently, the main treatment options for ED include phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (PDE5Is), intracorporeal injections and vacuum erection devices (VEDs), which are ineffective. Therefore, it is essential to find an emerging, non-invasive and effective treatment for ED. The histopathological damage causing ED can be improved or even reversed with hydrogels, in contrast to current therapies. Hydrogels have many advantages, they can be synthesized from various raw materials with different properties, possess a definite composition, and have good biocompatibility and biodegradability. These advantages make hydrogels an effective drug carrier. In this review, we began with an overview of the underlying mechanisms of organic erectile dysfunction, discussed the dilemmas of existing treatments for ED, and described the unique advantages of hydrogel over other approaches. Then emphasizing the progress of research on hydrogels in the treatment of ED.
器质性勃起功能障碍（ED）是男性的一种性功能障碍，通常与疾病、手术损伤、正常衰老有关，在全球范围内发病率很高。阴茎勃起的本质是一个受多种因素综合调节的神经血管事件。神经和血管损伤是勃起功能障碍的主要原因。目前，ED的主要治疗方法包括5型磷酸二酯酶抑制剂（PDE5Is）、阴茎海绵体内注射和真空勃起装置（VEDs），但这些方法效果不佳。因此，寻找一种新的、非侵入性且有效的ED治疗方法至关重要。与目前的治疗方法相比，水凝胶可以改善甚至逆转导致ED的组织病理学损伤。水凝胶有许多优点，它们可以由具有不同性质的各种原材料合成，具有确定的组成，并且具有良好的生物相容性和生物降解性。这些优点使水凝胶成为一种有效的药物载体。在这篇综述中，我们首先概述了器质性勃起功能障碍的潜在机制，讨论了现有ED治疗方法的困境，并描述了水凝胶相对于其他方法的独特优势。然后重点介绍了水凝胶在ED治疗方面的研究进展。
