The Effects of Oral 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitors on Penile Intracavernosal Pressures and Penile Morphology in a Rat Model

This study evaluated the effects of oral finasteride and dutasteride on penile intracavernosal pressures (ICPs) and penile morphology in 30 male rats. After 8 weeks, both treatment groups showed approximately a 50% decrease in mean ICPs compared to the control group, but the differences were not statistically significant (P > .05). Serum testosterone levels were higher in the treatment groups (P < .001), while other hormone levels showed no significant differences. Histomorphological analysis revealed significant increases in cavernosal tissue collagen density and atrophic changes in prostatic epithelial tissues in the treatment groups. Despite these morphological changes, no significant effect on ICPs was observed, potentially due to high standard deviations. The study suggested that 5-ARIs might negatively impact erectile function, and larger sample sizes and longer treatment durations could yield statistically significant results.