Tazzle

Tazzle is a well-known medication often prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction.

In this article, we will describe everything you need to know about Tazzle. We will cover all the necessary information, including its uses, how to consume it, what to expect after using it, and a few natural alternatives.

What is Tazzle?

Tazzle is the brand name of a medication commonly used in treating erectile dysfunction (ED) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Tadalafil is the active ingredient, the same one that’s in Cialis, another well-known ED medicine. Tazzle is a product of Dr. Reddys Laboratories, a large pharmaceutical company based in Hyderabad, India.

You can find Tazzle as a small rectangle or circle-shaped tablet, yellow-colored, and usually present as ten tablets in one strip pack.

Tazzle works by inhibiting an enzyme in the body called phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which allows blood flow to increase in the penis, leading to an erection.

Unlike Viagra, Tazzle has a long duration, almost 36 hours. This ability gives it an advantage over other medications of its kind. Another advantage of Tazzle is its ability to work specifically against the PDE5 enzyme.

The human body consists of various concentrations of PDE enzymes. PDE1 is found exclusively in the brain, heart, macrophages, testis, lymphocytes, and liver. PDE6 is in the eyes, and PDE11 is in muscles, the prostate, liver, kidney, testes, and pituitary glands. PDE5 is found mainly in the corpus cavernosum, platelets, and vascular and visceral smooth muscles.

Most erectile dysfunction medications target several of these enzymes, causing various side effects due to these actions.

For example, Viagra inhibits PDE5 and PDE6 enzymes more strongly than Tazzle. Viagra’s greater affinity to inhibit PDE6, found exclusively in the eyes, can lead to side effects such as vision disturbances, sensitivity to the light, and a bluish tinge in vision.

Viagra and Levitra also have a greater affinity to inhibit PDE1, leading to effects like dilatation of the vessels, which causes skin flushing and a rapid heart rate.

Compared to these, Tazzle acts more specifically on the enzyme PDE5 and has fewer side effects.

What’s the Dose of Tazzle?

For erectile dysfunction (ED), Tazzle is a prescribed medicine that should be taken only when needed. There is no need for daily consumption. Its main goal is to improve erection for sexual intercourse when required.

Tazzle is available in two different doses:

10 mg
20 mg

The standard starting dose for Tazzle in ED is 10 mg, and depending on your performance and response to the drug, your doctor may increase or decrease your dosage.

The maximum dose of Tazzle is 1 pill per day.

For benign prostate hyperplasia, the dose is a bit different and largely depends on what your doctor prescribes you. In this case, this medication needs to be taken at the same time every day.

How Long Does it Take for Tazzle to Kick In?

It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for Tazzle to do its work. You can take it once a day, at least 30 minutes before you want to have sex. However, sexual excitement is essential for this medicine to work.

How Long Does Tazzle Last?

Tazzle’s has a long duration of action. It can last up to 36 hours after use. This is because it has a slow half-life of almost 17.5 hours. This is much longer than other medications that treat ED, like Viagra, which has a half-life of 4 hours.

How Much Does Tazzle Cost?

Tazzle can cost $1.07 to $1.14 per 10mg tablet. This is cheaper compared to other brands of the same generic drug like Cialis.

The History of Tazzle

Tadalafil was approved for the treatment of ED by the FDA in 2003. It was initially produced by the company ICOS and then developed and marketed by Lilly ICOS.

In 2017, the patent for tadalafil expired, which paved the way for other companies to produce the drug at a lower cost. Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories started producing Tazzle once the patent expired.

Who Should Take Tazzle?

Tazzle is only available via prescription from a registered doctor.

Doctors may prescribe Tazzle to patients having trouble maintaining an erection long enough for sexual intercourse to complete and in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Your doctor will first assess if your current medications or any underlying health conditions could lead to interactions with Tazzle and create side effects.

Is Tazzle Safe?

Tazzle is well-tolerated by most users. Like most medications, it has some potential risks, some of which can be severe or life-threatening.

Tazzle is strictly a prescription-only drug. It is not indicated in patients who use specific heart and blood pressure medications.

Side effects may include:

Angina
Back pain
Cough
Diarrhea
Flushing
Headache
Muscle aches
Pain in the extremities
Priapism
Stomach upset
Stuffy or runny nose
Upper respiratory tract infections
Vision disturbances

Tazzle & Negative Drug Interactions

Tazzle can interact with other prescription drugs and substances. Many of these are similar to other PDE5 inhibitor medicines.

Some medications that may interact with Tazzle are:

Nitrates

Tazzle may aggravate the hypotensive effects of nitrates, which are often prescribed to patients with angina and coronary artery disease. Nitrates include medicines such as nitroglycerin, isosorbide, nitroprusside, amyl nitrate, and others.

Guanylate Cyclase (GC) Stimulators

These medicines are used in pulmonary hypertension treatment and can react with Tazzle causing a rapid decrease in blood pressure.

Antihypertensive Medications

These include medicines such as alpha-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers. They can react with Tazzle and cause blood pressure to drop rapidly.

CYP3A4 Inhibitors

These include ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, and others. These drugs inhibit the enzyme CYP3A4, the one needed to metabolize tadalafil, the main component of Tazzle. Using them together can delay the removal of tadalafil from the body and increase the risk of adverse side effects.

Alcohol

Alcohol can cause excess symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, low blood pressure, and raised heart rate when used with Tazzle.

Antacids

Antacids can reduce the uptake of Tazzle in the body and thereby limit its effects.

CYP3A4 Inducers

Some medications increase the activity of the CYP3A4 enzyme, leading to faster metabolism of Tazzle. This makes its effects last shorter and with much less pronounced effects.

Who Should Avoid Using Tazzle?

There are certain conditions where this medicine might be unsafe.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories gives a list of patients who should not take Tazzle:

Severe heart disease and heart valve failure
Retinitis pigmentosa
A history of NAION or “crowded” optic disc
A history of sensitivity or allergies to Tazzle
A history of priapism
Severe kidney disease
Hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia.
Pulmonary hypertension
Stomach ulcers

How Does Tazzle Work?

Tazzle works by increasing the ability of the body to pump blood into a region of the penis called the corpus cavernosum.

When arteries in the penile tissues dilate and relax, blood rushes into it, causing an erection. These arteries often cannot pump blood into the penis in most ED cases.

Relaxation of blood vessels in the penis is caused by a substance called cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP). As long as the cGMP is active, erection is possible. In most erectile dysfunction cases, an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) in the penis breaks down cGMP, causing the inability of the blood vessels to relax and dilate.

Tazzle works by blocking this enzyme, PDE5. By stopping this enzyme from breaking down the cGMP, the penis can get erect without any problems.

However, this can’t happen by itself. It is necessary to be aroused sexually for this medicine to work.

Medical Research Involving Tazzle

Tazzle has little research dedicated to it to show how well the medicine works in treating erectile dysfunction. A few show its effectiveness in treating ED [1]. But mostly, the research is lacking.

Most generic medications are made by simply copying the already established medications once the patents expire. In this case, Tazzle is the same as tadalafil, a drug that has been studied and shown to be effective for ED.

Tazzle Alternatives

Other medicines can also treat erectile dysfunction. Some use the same active ingredient as Tazzle, while others use various other ingredients with the same action.

The drugs of other brands that work the same as Tazzle are:

Avanafil (Avaforce, Stendra, Avana)
Mirodenafil (Mvix)
Sildenafil (Viagra, Cenforce, Kamagra, Fildena, P-Force, Vygex, & more)
Tadalafil (Cialis, Adcirca, Vidalista, Tadacip, Forzest, & more)
Udenafil (Zydena)
Vardenafil (Levitra, Staxyn, Vilitra, Zhewitra, Savitra, & more)

Are There Any Natural Alternatives for Tazzle?

Some natural herbs and nutrients can also help with erectile dysfunction. These herbs have a long history of being used in alternative medicines. Most of them, however, do not have proper proof or clinical testing to show how well they can work.

If you are hesitant to start with prescription meds directly, these alternative medicines can be a good start. You can move up to pharmaceutical options if they do not work.

Here are a few of the Alternative herbs and supplements to treat erectile dysfunction [9]:

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.)

This herb is well-used in Chinese medicine to treat low libido, erectile dysfunction, and joint pains. It contains a substance called Icariin, which has the same potential to inhibit PDE5 as Tazzle does.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Ginseng is a herb mainly used in Korea for many purposes, including ED [3].

Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)

This herb has also been found to be useful in treating ED through a similar action as other ED drugs [4].

L-Arginine

L-Arginine can help make nitric oxide which can then help to make cGMP [5].

Catuaba (Trichilia catigua or Erythroxylum catuaba)

This is used in some Eastern remedies to treat ED and decreased libido [6].

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe)

Yohimbe has been shown to increase sexual potency [7].

Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris)

Tribulus may increase sexual endurance and help in ED. In fact, studies show it is synergistic with sildenafil [8].

Where to Buy Tazzle?

Tazzle is a prescription-only medication in most countries. Once you get the prescription, you can order Tazzle from any nearby pharmacy or online. Buying online is preferred by most because of the discretion it gives users.

If you have erectile dysfunction or benign prostate hyperplasia, Tazzle or one of these natural alternatives may be well worth a try.

References

Costa, P., Grivel, T., & Gehchan, N. (2009). Tadalafil once daily in the management of erectile dysfunction: patient and partner perspectives. Patient preference and adherence, 3, 105.
Liu, W. J., Xin, Z. C., Xin, H., Yuan, Y. M., Tian, L., & Guo, Y. L. (2005). Effects of icariin on erectile function and expression of nitric oxide synthase isoforms in castrated rats. Asian journal of andrology, 7(4), 381-388.
De Andrade, E., De Mesquita, A. A., de Almeida Claro, J., De Andrade, P. M., Ortiz, V., Paranhos, M., … & Erdogrun, T. (2007). Study of the efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Asian journal of andrology, 9(2), 241-244.
Ferrini, M. G., Garcia, E., Abraham, A., Artaza, J. N., Nguyen, S., & Rajfer, J. (2018). Effect of ginger, Paullinia cupana, muira puama and l-citrulline, singly or in combination, on modulation of the inducible nitric oxide-NO-cGMP pathway in rat penile smooth muscle cells. nitric oxide, 76, 81-86.
Melman, A. (1997). L-Arginine and penile erection. The Journal of urology, 158(3), 686-686.
Lim, P. H. (2017). Asian herbals and aphrodisiacs used for managing ED. Translational andrology and urology, 6(2), 167.
Carey, M. P., & Johnson, B. T. (1996). Effectiveness of yohimbine in the treatment of erectile disorder: Four meta-analytic integrations. Archives of sexual behavior, 25(4), 341-360.
Zhang, H., Tong, W. T., Zhang, C. R., Li, J. L., Meng, H., Yang, H. G., & Chen, M. (2019). Gross saponin of Tribulus terrestris improves erectile dysfunction in type 2 diabetic rats by repairing the endothelial function of the penile corpus cavernosum. Diabetes, metabolic syndrome and obesity: targets and therapy, 12, 1705.