Those famous blue pills are about to get competition. Scientists from the Federal University of Brazil have used computer simulations to test many erection-causing chemicals to find eight promising candidates which may outdo Viagra. What they were looking for are chemicals that can hinder a particular enzyme called phosphodiesterase five. If this enzyme is inhibited, the blood flow to the genitals will be increased.
Their first step was to identify likely candidates by looking through scientific journals. They came up with 48 possible chemicals. They then used a 3-D model of the enzyme to find out which chemical could get into the enzyme which is a protein and mess it up.
What's Driving This Trend
- Erection-inducing Chemicals
- Developing chemicals that can inhibit the phosphodiesterase 5 enzyme and increase blood flow to the genitals beyond the effects of Viagra.
- Computer-aided Medical Research
- Using computer simulations to discover new medical breakthroughs.
- Alternative to Viagra
- Identifying alternative treatments for sexual dysfunction based on scientific research.
Who This Affects Most
- Pharmaceuticals
- The pharmaceutical industry can benefit from the development of new treatments for sexual dysfunction.
- Biotech
- The biotech industry can leverage computer simulations to improve drug discovery.
- Medical Research
- Medical researchers can use computer-aided simulations to develop new treatments for different types of diseases.
