Objective:To investigate the effect of pridoxamine on erectile function in diabetic rats.Methods:Male adult Sprague-Dawley rats were induced for diabetes by an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin

then randomly divided into DM group and DM+PM group.The rats in DM+PM group were treated with pridoxamine at a dosage of 200mg/kg through a gastric perfusion every day.Twelve weeks later the erectile function of all these rats were evaluated

and their penises tissues were harvested.The NO

NOS

and cGMP levels in corpus cavernosum were measured.Results:The diabetic rat model was successfully established.The erectile function was much better in normal control group(group C

100%) and DM+PM group(71.4%)than in DM group(46.2%)(P<0.05).The NO level in DM group was significantly decreased(3.23±0.28)μmol/gprot

compared with group C(7.82±0.77)μmol/gprot and DM+PM group(6.47±0.54)μmol/gprot(P<0.05).The NOS level in group C(2.00±0.30)U/mgprot and DM+PM group(1.07±0.15)U/mgprot was both much higher than in DM group(0.69±0.11)U/mgprot(P<0.05).The cGMP content in corpus cavemosum was markedly decreased in DM group(36.15±1.94)pmol/ml

compared with group C(54.19±2.62)pmol/ml and DM+PM group(50.57±1.20)pmol/ml

(P<0.05).Conclusion:The pridoxamine has some effect of L-Arg-NO-cGMP pathway on diabetic rats’penis tissues

and may play some role in protecting the harm to erectile function caused by diabeties.