Q. I read recently about a study somewhere in Turkey that showed that Viagra’s active ingredient might offer help for men suffering from back pain associated with degeneration of the sciatic nerve. Is there any truth to those reports?
A. It’s a little early to start the celebrations, but early findings are promising. Men suffering from back pain caused by pressure on the sciatic nerve might someday be able to treat the condition with a month-long course of daily Viagra.
Those were the preliminary findings from an animal study undertaken by researchers in Malatya, a city in eastern Turkey. To test their theory that sildenafil might help speed recuperation from injury to a peripheral nerve, scientists at Inonu University simulated sciatic nerve injury in 30 laboratory rats.
The rats were then divided into three test groups. The first group was given a daily dose of 20 milligrams of sildenafil per kilogram of body weight, while the second received 10 milligrams of sildenafil per kilo of body weight every other day. The third group received no drugs at all.
After 28 days of treatment, the rats were re-evaluated. Those that received the daily dose of sildenafil showed the most significant recovery and ability to function at the end of the study. Those in the second group were better able to function than the rats that received no drugs at all.