Abstract

Introduction: Dimethyl Sulphoxide (DMSO), with exceptional solvent properties, is used in various

pharmacological studies on corpus cavernosum as a vehicle. However, there is little known regarding the

relaxing characteristics of this solvent. Thus we aimed to determine the highest noneffecious concentration of

DMSO as a solvent in isolated human corpus cavernosum (HCC).

Materials and Methods: Strips (3x3x7 mm) were cut longitudinally from human corpus cavernosum (HCC)

tissues and mounted in 10 ml organ bath with the Krebs solution. The strips were oxygenated with 95% O2

and 5% CO2 and the temperature was maintained at 37°C. HCC tissues were contracted with 3x10-6 M

phenylephrine and relaxation responses were evaluated by cumulative (10-9 - 10-5 M) and (10-12 - 10-9 M)

addition of DMSO.

Results: Cumulative application of phenylephrine (10-8 - 10-5 M) caused concentration dependent

contraction response in HCC tissue (pD2 6.24±0.14). DMSO (10-9 - 10-5 M) had dose dependent relaxing effects

on precontracted HCC tissues with phenylephrine (3x10-6 M). HCC tissues exhibited relaxation response to

DMSO 29±5.4% of phenylephrine–induced tone (IC50 6.63±0.4). At lower concentration (10-12 - 10-9 M) DMSO

did not cause relaxation response curve.

Conclusion: In this study we demonstrated that DMSO could be used in isolated HCC studies as a solvent

at concentrations lower than 10-9 M.