Vilitra

Vilitra is a medication used to treat erectile dysfunction and contains the base ingredient vardenafil. This medication works by inhibiting enzymes that regulate blood flow to male sexual organs.

This article will dive deeper into what Vilitra is, how it can help you, and who can take this medication. Plus, find out natural ways to help ED and other drugs available.

What is Vilitra?

Vilitra is the brand name of the generic drug vardenafil. This same base ingredient is present in other more popular medications like Levitra. It is produced by Centurion Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company based in Gujarat, India.

Vilitra is used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), a condition in men with difficulty initiating or sustaining an erection. It has various causative factors like older age, different diseases, psychological stress, etc.

This drug works to resolve this condition by enhancing blood flow into the penis, allowing it to engorge and get sufficiently erect for sexual intercourse. It does this by inhibiting an enzyme called phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5).

What’s the Dose of Vilitra?

Vilitra comes in four different doses:

10 mg
20 mg
40 mg
60 mg

Vilitra pills are tiny, round, and yellow-colored. They come in a blister pack containing ten of these tablets.

How Should You Take Vilitra?

Vilitra is an orally administered medication. It means all you have to do is pop one in your mouth and swallow it, with or without water.

What Dose of Vilitra Should You Take?

The starting dose of Vilitra is 10 mg, with a maximum of one pill per day. The dosage largely depends on what your doctor prescribes you.

Your doctor will assess your condition and may start with this beginning dose. Then, based on how well you respond to it, they may increase or decrease the dosage. Vilitra is a prescription-only medication in most countries.

How Long Does it Take For Vilitra To Work?

It takes Vilitra about 30 to 60 minutes to work. For some users, it may take a bit longer than that. However, it needs sexual stimulation to work.

Unless you are sexually excited, this medication may not work. When anticipating a sexual interaction, you can take one pill about 30 to 60 minutes beforehand.

How Long Does Vilitra Last For?

Vilitra lasts for about 4 to 6 hours. However, sometimes its effects can last a bit longer than that. It usually happens in cases where users consume a higher than the recommended dosage.

Is Vilitra an Aphrodisiac?

Vilitra helps a person suffering from ED get erect after being sexually aroused. However, it is not an aphrodisiac and will not increase libido. It can only help a sexually stimulated penis to function properly.

What is the Cost of Vilitra?

Vilitra costs about $0.95 to $1.10 per 10mg tablet. This price is a bargain compared to other expensive ED drugs like Viagra and Cialis.

What Metabolizes Vilitra in the Body?

Vilitra is metabolized in the liver by an enzyme called CYP3A4. It means any medication that could react with CYP3A4 can cause a change in the metabolism rate of Vilitra.

What’s Vilitra’s Mechanism of Action?

Usually, in a sexual encounter, sexual excitement, and stimulation cause the stimulation of the nerve signals in the pelvis. It then leads to nitric oxide (NO) release from blood vessels and nerve terminals. This release of NO causes the release of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP).

cGMP helps dilate the blood vessels, thereby increasing blood flow into the penis. This enlarges the penis and makes it erect. The tunica albuginea traps the blood in the corpora cavernosa and keeps this erection intact until the sexual encounter is over, after which it returns to its flaccid state.

The enzyme phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), commonly found in corpora cavernosa, vascular smooth muscles, visceral smooth muscles, and platelets, inhibits the blood vessels in the penis from dilating.

Vilitra is a PDE5 inhibitor. It works by inhibiting this enzyme in the penis, which causes blood to flow smoothly into the penis, enabling it to get erect.

However, Vilitra needs sexual stimulation to work. It means you must be sexually excited for it to do its job. It alone cannot cause an erection.

The History of Vilitra

With the accidental discovery of sildenafil as an ED medication in 1989, studies began around other drugs of its kind that could also treat ED. By 2001, the German company Bayer Pharmaceuticals announced that the medication vardenafil effectively treated ED.

From then on, Bayer and Glaxosmith patented this medication and started production of vardenafil with the brand name Levitra to treat ED.

Vardenafil was approved for use to treat ED by the FDA in 2003. In 2018, vardenafil’s patent expired. From then on, pharmaceutical companies started producing vardenafil under different names using the same formulation. Centurion Laboratories began producing Vilitra after the end of this patent.

Is Vilitra Safe?

Vilitra is safe to consume by most men, but like most other medications, it does come with side effects that range from mild to potentially dangerous ones. Most of them are due to overdosing or incorrect dosing. Also, some drugs can react with Vilitra and increase the risk of side effects.

Side Effects of Vilitra

Some side effects commonly experienced by men who take Vilitra include:

Abdominal pain
Abnormal vision
Back pain
Facial swelling
Headaches
Hot flushes
Loss of hearing
Loss of vision
Muscle pain
Nasal blockage
Nausea
Prolonged and painful erection
Rash
Sensitivity to light
Tingling sensation in hands and feet

Drugs That Can Interact With Vilitra

Some medications can interact with Vilitra and cause unwanted effects. So, it is best to inform your doctor beforehand if you are taking any of these medications. Your doctor will assess you and your medications and tell you if it is safe to use Vilitra.

If you cannot use Vilitra due to the risk of drug interactions, you should not use other PDE5 inhibitors as well because they all have a similar mechanism of action.

Here are some medications that can interact with Vilitra:

Nitrates

These are used in angina and coronary artery disease treatment. Vilitra can interact with nitrates to cause a severe drop in blood pressure that may cause a person to collapse.

Guanylate Cyclase (GC) Stimulators

They are used in treating pulmonary artery hypertension and include drugs like Riociguat and Vericiguat. When taken together with Vilitra, it can significantly lower blood pressure.

Anti-Hypertensive Medications

These include alpha-blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium channel blockers, and angiotensin II receptor blockers. Vilitra can also interact with these and cause a significant fall in blood pressure.

CYP3A4 Inhibitors

These include medications such as ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, and grapefruit juice. These can slow down the removal of Vilitra from the body, thereby increasing the risk of side effects.

Antacids

These include Alternagel, Amphojel, Alka-Seltzer, Tums, Magnesium hydroxide, Gaviscon, Gelusil, Maalox, Mylanta, Rolaids, etc. These can decrease the uptake of Vilitra in the body and reduce its effects.

CYP3A4 Inducers

These medications can lead to faster metabolization of Vilitra in the body and shorten its effects. These include rifampicin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital.

Who Should Not Use Vilitra?

There are certain health conditions in which Vilitra should be avoided completely.

Vilitra should be avoided by patients with:

A history of NAION or “crowded” optic disc
A history of priapism
Allergy to Vilitra
Blood disorders (hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia)
Retinitis pigmentosa
Severe heart disease or heart valve failure
Severe kidney disease

Medical Research Involving Vilitra

Studies involving vardenafil, Vilitra’s base ingredient, have demonstrated its effectiveness in treating ED [1]. In addition, some studies show that it is useful in treating premature ejaculation [2].

However, there are limited studies on Vilitra itself. This is because most pharmaceutical companies simply copy the formulations of the previously well-researched medications and reproduce them at a cheaper cost. So, there is not much need for them to do the research themselves.

Are There Any Alternatives to Vilitra?

Many medications for ED are available. Some of them may be certified pharmaceutical drugs with similar ingredients as Vilitra.

Others may be non-pharmaceutical such as natural herbs.

Pharmaceutical Alternatives

Other medications for ED usually have the same mechanism of action as Vilitra. Some of them may be pricier or cheaper than Vilitra.

Here are some of the pharmaceutical alternatives to Vilitra:

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, Zhewitra, Savitra, & more)

Non-Pharmaceutical Alternatives

These include lifestyle changes, herbs, and nutrients that may help you treat the symptoms of ED. Most of these have little to no scientific research to back their effectiveness.

If you are hesitant to try out pharmaceutical medications, these may be a good place to start. If they do not work for you, you can try the pharmaceutical ones.

Natural Alternatives to Help With ED

Tongkat Ali — can raise testosterone levels and may assist in treating ED [3].

L-Arginine — can help to increase blood flow to the penis [4].

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia johimbe) — can increase penile blood flow, cause an erection, and may raise libido [5].

Horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.) — can help cause an erection, treat fatigue, and increase libido [6].

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) — has antioxidant properties, can improve libido and stamina, and help to treat ED [7].

Catuaba (Trichilia catigua or Erythroxylum catuaba) — can increase blood flow to the penis and increase libido [8].

Lifestyle Modifications That May Help With ED

Diet —A nutrient-rich diet can help improve ED [9].

Quit smoking — Smokers have a higher incidence of ED. So it is best to stop smoking completely [10].

Exercise —A lack of proper exercise can cause ED to worsen in men. So a good exercise routine can keep the body prim and proper and prevent ED [11].

Sleep — Proper sleep can keep a person healthy and decrease the chances of developing ED [12].

Psychological Counseling — Mental stress and psychological problems can also cause ED. Professional psychological counseling, especially couples counseling, may help manage ED [13].

Where to Buy Vilitra

You can buy Vilitra once you get a prescription from your doctor. Then, you can buy it from a nearby pharmacy or online. Buying it online is preferred by most men as it is discreet.

If you are looking for an ED medication, Vilitra may be well worth a try.

References

Keating, G. M., & Scott, L. J. (2003). Vardenafil. Drugs, 63(23), 2673-2702.
Aversa, A., Pili, M., Francomano, D., Bruzziches, R., Spera, E., La Pera, G., & Spera, G. (2009). Effects of vardenafil administration on intravaginal ejaculatory latency time in men with lifelong premature ejaculation. International Journal of Impotence Research, 21(4), 221-227.
Malviya, N., Jain, S., Gupta, V. B., & Vyas, S. (2011). Recent studies on aphrodisiac herbs for the management of male sexual dysfunction-a review. Acta Pol Pharm, 68(1), 3-8.
Moody, J. A., Vernet, D., Laidlaw, S., Rajfer, J., & Gonzalez-Cadavid, N. F. (1997). Effects of long-term oral administration of L-arginine on the rat erectile response. The journal of urology, 158(3), 942-947.
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.
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.
Martins, N. O., de Brito, I. M., Araújo, S. S. O., Negri, G., de Araújo Carlini, E., & Mendes, F. R. (2018). Antioxidant, anticholinesterase and antifatigue effects of Trichilia catigua (catuaba). BMC complementary and alternative medicine, 18(1), 1-13.
La, J., Roberts, N. H., & Yafi, F. A. (2018). Diet and men’s sexual health. Sexual medicine reviews, 6(1), 54-68.
Verze, P., Margreiter, M., Esposito, K., Montorsi, P., & Mulhall, J. (2015). The link between cigarette smoking and erectile dysfunction: a systematic review. European urology focus, 1(1), 39-46.
Gerbild, H., Larsen, C. M., Graugaard, C., & Josefsson, K. A. (2018). Physical activity to improve erectile function: a systematic review of intervention studies. Sexual medicine, 6(2), 75-89.
Pastuszak, A. W., Moon, Y. M., Scovell, J., Badal, J., Lamb, D. J., Link, R. E., & Lipshultz, L. I. (2017). Poor sleep quality predicts hypogonadal symptoms and sexual dysfunction in male nonstandard shift workers. Urology, 102, 121-125.
Nordin, R. B., Soni, T., Kaur, A., Loh, K. P., & Miranda, S. (2019). Prevalence and predictors of erectile dysfunction in adult male outpatient clinic attendees in Johor, Malaysia. Singapore medical journal, 60(1), 40.