Tadalafil: Origin And Effect

Creation of Tadalafil

Tadalafil is an artificially synthesized chemical compound, an active substance that is the basis of Cialis, one of the most famous drugs used to solve potency problems. This medicine is manufactured by one of the oldest pharmaceutical corporations in the United States - Eli Lilly and Co. However, this company is not the inventor of Tadalafil. Then how did it happen that it was Eli Lilly who for many years held the patent for the production of Cialis, until the perm of patent protection expired?

Initially, scientists from the American company ICOS in collaboration with the British Glaxo Wellcome worked on the development of Tadalafil. This medicine was intended to be used for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, in particular arterial hypertension. However, in the course of clinical trials it turned out that the new remedy had a much more tangible effect on potency. Soon, a conflict arose between ICOS and Glaxo Wellcome, which was related to the scope of use of this medicine. As a result of this conflict, the latter came out of the collaboration, and ICOS signed a new contract with Eli Lilly, instead of the British company. This tandem decided that it would begin to release Tadalafil as a means to increase potency, and clinical trials and trials began to move exclusively in this direction.

In 2002, after the approval of the American Urological Association and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), the drug was launched on the international pharmaceutical market and became almost as popular as the Viagra, which appeared about three years earlier and was the first remedy to effectively and safely combat ED symptoms. Some spiteful critics claim that the creators of Cialis simply hastened to repeat the success of Viagra, the active substance of which is Sildenafil, and that is why they began the development of Tadalafil, which also belongs to the group of PDE-5 inhibitors and the principle of action of which is not much different. However, this is not true. The development of these two drugs began at about the same time and was associated with the need to create new drugs against cardiovascular diseases, the prevalence of which had sharply increased by the end of the XX century, especially in the USA.

In 2007, Eli Lilly acquired ICOS for $ 2.3 billion. The purpose of this transaction was solely the acquisition of patents - not only for Cialis, but for many other medicines as well. With gross violations of labor law, all ICOS employees, including scientists, were fired. Their number was more than 500 people. Researchers, thanks to whom men got a cure for erectile dysfunction such as Tadalafil, lost their jobs and were no longer involved in the activities of a thriving pharmaceutical corporation. Exactly so, stepping on faces, Eli Lilly turned out to be the sole owner of the patent on Cialis.

Tadalafil's Effect

Tadalafil differs from all other drugs against erectile dysfunction in its duration of action - instead of the usual 4-6 hours characteristic of Sildenafil and Vardenafil, this medicine is effective for at least 24 and a maximum of 36 hours, depending on the individual sensitivity of the body and the dosage taken.

The effect of increasing potency is achieved due to the ability of the substance to relax the smooth muscle cells of the walls of the vessels of the penis, dilate blood vessels and increase blood flow in the reproductive organs. This is possible due to the blocking of the production of the PDE-5 enzyme, which is why Tadalafil belongs to the pharmacological group of inhibitors of this enzyme.

A closer look at the mechanism of action of Tadalafil is as follows. In the absence of problems with potency, the penis is filled with blood due to cGMP. But at low potency, this enzyme is inhibited by excessive production of PDE-5. Preventing this reaction, Tadalafil prevents the destruction of cGMP, contributing to the filling of the penis with a large amount of blood and the further development of high erectile ability. It is important to note that Tadalafil acts only when a man experiences sexual arousal. It leads to the transmission of impulses to the central nervous system, resulting in the production of nitric oxide and the synthesis of cGMP. It is then that Tadalafil begins to act as an adjuvant for cGMP. The medicine acts selectively, mainly on the vessels of the penis, and also to a much lesser extent on the vessels of the lungs. Most of the side effects of this medicine are related precisely to its vasodilating properties (mild headache, redness of the face, nasal congestion), because the creators of this medicine have not yet been able to completely eliminate the effect on other blood vessels of the body. However, these side effects are much less pronounced compared with other drugs from the PDE-5 group.

Tadalafil does not affect the quality of sperm, the process of ejaculation and conception, and does not cause any psychological or physiological dependence.