Methods and compositions for preventing and treating male erectile dysfunction and female sexual arousal disorder

Abstract

The invention provides a method for preventing or treating male erectile dysfunction or female sexual arousal disorder by administering an effective amount of one or more factors from a group of factors including vascular endothelial growth factor, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, basic fibroblast growth factor, neurotrophin-3, neurotrophin-4, or angiopoietin-1, wherein the factor is a full length protein or a nucleic acid encoding the factor, or a functional derivative or fragment thereof, or an agent that enhances production and/or male erection or female sexual arousal stimulating function of the factor(s). Combinations, kits, and combinatorial methods are also provided.

1 . A method for preventing or treating male erectile dysfunction or female sexual arousal disorder induced or secondary to nerve injury, comprising administering to a mammal to whom such prevention or treatment is needed or desirable, a combination comprising:
 a) an effective amount of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), wherein the VEGF is a full length protein or a functional derivative or fragment thereof; and   b) an effective amount of a factor selected from the group consisting of brain-derived growth factor (BDNF), neurotrophin-3 (NT-3), and neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), wherein the factor is a full length protein or a functional derivative or fragment thereof;   thereby preventing or treating the male erectile dysfunction or the female sexual arousal disorder in the mammal.