Mechanism of action and clinical research progress of Shugan yiyang capsule in the treatment of erectile dysfunction
- VernacularTitle:疏肝益阳胶囊治疗勃起功能障碍的作用机制及临床研究进展
- Author:
Shengnan LI
1
;
Chongfu ZHONG
2
;
Tengfei CHEN
3
;
Hongyan CHEN
3
Author Information
1. The First Clinical Medical College of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Jinan 250014，China
2. Dept. of Andrology，The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Jinan 250014，China
3. Dept. of Urology，The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Jinan 250014，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Shugan yiyang capsule;
Erectile dysfunction;
Mechanism of action;
Clinical application
- From:
China Pharmacy
2026;37(19):2602-2607
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Erectile dysfunction （ED） is a common chronic andrological disease that seriously impairs men’s physical and mental health and reduces their quality of life. Shugan yiyang capsule is a compound formula of traditional Chinese medicine for the clinical treatment of erectile dysfunction， with core effects of soothing the liver， relieving depression， promoting blood circulation， and nourishing the kidneys. This paper systematically reviewed the mechanisms of action and clinical research progress of Shugan yiyang capsule in the treatment of ED. Accumulated evidence indicated that this capsule exerted its therapeutic effects by modulating signaling pathways such as nitric oxide synthase/cyclic guanosine monophosphate and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B， inhibiting phosphodiesterase-5 （PDE-5） expression and oxidative stress， regulating hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis function， and improving penile hemodynamics. In terms of clinical application， Shugan yiyang capsule used alone improved erectile function and related clinical indicators in patients with ED. When combined with PDE-5 inhibitors or surgical operation， Shugan yiyang capsule also demonstrated certain synergistic and efficacy-enhancing effects， with generally good tolerability. However， existing studies were still limited by insufficient investigation of the pharmacodynamic material basis of the formula， inadequate elucidation of the interactions among different signaling pathways， a lack of direct experimental validation for some potential mechanisms， and relatively small sample sizes and limited levels of clinical evidence. Future studies will integrate serum pharmacochemistry， multi-omics approaches， and pharmacokinetic techniques to further characterize the absorbed constituents， key pharmacologically active components， and multi-target synergistic mechanisms of Shugan yiyang capsule. Meanwhile， multicenter， large-sample randomized controlled trials with long-term follow-up will be conducted to strengthen the quality of clinical evidence and facilitate the precise use of Shugan yiyang capsule in the treatment of ED.
