Savitra

Savitra is a brand name for the drug vardenafil.

Vardenafil is a phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor used to treat erectile dysfunction and premature ejaculation.

This article will include all the essential information you need to know before using the drug, like the efficacy, safety, dose, cost, adverse effects, and contraindications.

What Is Savitra?

Savitra is the brand name for the generic drug vardenafil, manufactured in India by Sava Healthcare Ltd.

Vardenafil is a PDE5 inhibitor class of drugs prescribed for erectile dysfunction (ED). It causes dilation of the blood vessels and an increase in blood flow to the spongy tissue of the penis, leading to an erection.

It is also found to be effective in the treatment of premature ejaculation (PE).

The chemical composition of vardenafil is almost similar to sildenafil. So, it functions similarly to Viagra, with a unique difference being its action is not affected by food or alcohol.

The most common and widely used medication that contains vardenafil is Levitra.

What Is the Dose Of Savitra?

Savitra is available as oral tablets of 10 mg and 20 mg.

Vardenafil, by the name of Levitra, is also available in 5 mg and 2.5 mg tablets. Another brand called Staxyn has the drug in orally disintegrating form.

The starting dose of Savitra is 10 mg. It can be titrated based on efficacy and side effects.

You should not take more than one pill in 24 hours.

How Long Does It Take For Savitra To Kick In?

It takes about 30 to 60 minutes for the effects of the drug to kick in. However, the onset of action can be as early as 10 minutes.

You must take the drug 1 hour before sexual activities.

How Long Does Savitra Last?

It lasts for about 8 hours, which is longer than Viagra lasts.

How Much Does Savitra Cost?

Savitra costs about $0.7 to $2.7 per tablet, depending on the dose.

It is cheaper than Levitra, which costs $39 to $64 per tablet.

The History of Savitra

Savitra is the brand name for the generic drug vardenafil, which is manufactured by Sava Healthcare Ltd and exported to many countries.

The FDA approved vardenafil in 2003. Bayer healthcare pharmaceuticals owned the patent for it by the name of Levitra since 2003, which expired in 2018.

There are many generic versions of vardenafil available now, which are much cheaper and easily accessible.

Who Should Take Savitra?

Savitra is recommended for men aged 18 years and above suffering from erectile dysfunction of any cause. Although sildenafil is the most commonly used drug for ED, patients might prefer vardenafil because it produces the same results with a low dose and comparatively fewer side effects.

Men suffering from premature ejaculation can also use Savitra.

Is Savitra Safe?

Yes, Savitra is a safe drug.

According to clinical trials performed in a large pool of subjects with ED of various causes, vardenafil was efficient and safe with few treatment-associated side effects of mild severity [1, 2].

Some of the common side effects associated with Savitra include:

Abdominal pain
Arthralgia
Dyspepsia
Facial edema
Flushing
Headache
Hypotension
Myalgia
Nausea
Photosensitivity and abnormal vision
Priapism
Rhinitis
Sudden hearing loss
Tachycardia

Potential Drug Interactions With Savitra

To prevent drug interactions, make sure you do not combine Savitra with the following:

Nitrates

The use of Savitra and nitrate together is contraindicated, as this combination can lead to a drastic drop in blood pressure.

Anti-Hypertensives

Anti-hypertensives are considered safe [3, 4] with Savitra. An exception is people using alpha-blockers, in whom caution is advised.

Anti-Arrhythmics

Savitra can cause QT-prolongation. So, when used with certain antiarrhythmics, it can lead to life-threatening ventricular tachycardia.

Guanylate Cyclase Stimulators

GC stimulators (drugs used for pulmonary arterial hypertension) and Savitra should not be used together because this combination potentiates the hypotensive effects of the former.

CYP3A4 Inducers

These medications increase the activity of this enzyme leading to faster metabolism ofSavitra and shorter, less pronounced effects. Some common CYP3A4 inducers include rifampin, carbamazepine, phenytoin, and phenobarbital.

CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Savitra undergoes extensive biotransformation in the human liver mainly via cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4), with a minor contribution from CYP2C. The administration of CYP3A4 inhibitors with Savitra leads to an increase in the half-life of the latter.

Common CYP3A4 inhibitors include ritonavir, ketoconazole, itraconazole, erythromycin, and grapefruit [2].

Food

A high-fat meal may delay the absorption of Savitra up to 1 hour, but a moderate-fat meal has no clinically relevant effect on vardenafil [5].

Alcohol

Coadministration of Savitra with alcohol does not cause any significant alteration in the action of the former [6].

Who Should Avoid Using Savitra?

It is always important to visit your doctor before taking Savitra so that they can help you choose the best treatment needed and rule out potential risks.

Here are some conditions when you should avoid using Savitra:

Severe heart disease
Severe liver disease
NAION or “crowded” optic disc
Retinitis pigmentosa
Known hypersensitivity to any PDE5 inhibitors
History of priapism
Severe kidney disease
Certain blood disorders (hemophilia, leukemia, sickle-cell anemia)
Low blood pressure

How Does Savitra Work?

Vardenafil is the active ingredient in Savitra.

Vardenafil is a phosphodiesterase5 (PDE5) inhibitor drug. It inhibits the enzyme PDE5, which is responsible for cGMP degradation in the corpus cavernosum of the penis.

During sexual stimulation, nitric oxide (NO) is produced by the endothelium of the penile arteries. NO then travels to the smooth muscles and binds to guanylate cyclase receptors leading to the activation of guanylate cyclase (GC). The GC then produces cGMP from GTP.

cGMP is present at high levels after the use of vardenafil. The cGMP formed activates cGMP-dependent protein kinase, which, in turn, leads to vascular relaxation and increased blood flow to the spongy corpus cavernosum, ultimately causing penile erection. This erection is maintained until sexual stimulation is withdrawn.

Savitra cannot work without sexual stimulation. So, it is advised to take the drug 1 hour before the anticipated sexual intercourse.

Medical Research Involving Savitra

Savitra is a generic version of vardenafil and contains the same active compound as Levitra.

There isn’t much research explicitly done for the brand Savitra. However, the initial vardenafil manufacturers have conducted many clinical trials establishing the efficacy and safety of the drug.

Alternatives To Savitra

There are many ED medications. Some use the same active ingredients, while others have different ingredients with a similar mechanism of action.

Savitra is the brand name for vardenafil. Many other generic versions are available with a variable range of prices but with the same compound and dose.

The most widely used PDE5 inhibitor prescription drug is Viagra.

Other prescription-only ED medications include:

Avanafil (Avaforce, Stendra, Avana)
Mirodenafil (Mvix)
Sildenafil (Viagra, Cenforce, Kamagra, Fildena, P-Force, Vygex, & more)
Tadalafil (Cialis, Adcirca, Vidalista, Tadacip, Forzest, & more)

Natural Alternatives

Before jumping into prescription medications, it is best to consult your physician to evaluate the cause of ED. If it is due to stress and anxiety and any other modifiable cause, it is advisable to take measures like meditation, diet, and lifestyle modification.

There are some herbs and nutrients that can also help facilitate erection. These herbal compounds are effective but also have side effects.

Horny Goat Weed (Epimedium spp.)

It is an herb that contains an active compound called icariin, which acts similarly to the drug sildenafil.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng)

Various studies have shown the benefit of Korean red ginseng for ED [7, 8] in a similar way to many ED medications.

L-arginine

A study in the Journal of Sex and Marital Therapy found that L-arginine and Pycnogenol supplements helped many men ages 25 to 45 with ED achieve normal erections [9].

Muira Puama (Ptychopetalum olacoides)

It is an herb that is used for libido and penile erections. It is rich in sitosterol, campesterol, and lupeol and activates the body’s receptors for hormones like testosterone. This increases libido and the mental ability to be aroused.

Catuaba (Erythroxylum catuaba)

Catuaba extract is considered a central nervous system stimulant without the side effects of caffeine. It has been used in Asian folk medicine for sexual weakness and lowered libido.

Yohimbe (Pausinystalia yohimbe)

It blocks alpha-2 adrenergic activity allowing vasodilation. It also acts as a monoamine oxidase inhibitor increasing serotonin in the brain. Yohimbine has a dual aphrodisiac function. Side effects include nervousness, anxiety, insomnia, and possibly mild hypertension.

Tribulus (Tribulus terrestris)

It improves sexual activity by increasing the levels of testosterone and NO synthesis.

Where To Buy Savitra?

Savitra is readily available with a doctor’s prescription at any authorized pharmacy. You can also buy Savitra from various online stores selling pharmaceutical products.

When purchasing online, you can compare prices and products. In addition, buying Savitra online allows doorstep delivery, anonymity, and easier access.

References Cited

Nagao, K., Ishii, N., Kamidono, S., Osada, T., & Vardenafil (Levitra) Clinical Trial Group. (2004). Safety and efficacy of vardenafil in patients with erectile dysfunction: result of a bridging study in Japan. International journal of urology, 11(7), 515-524.
Eardley, I., Lee, J. C., Shabsigh, R., Dean, J., Maggi, M., Neuser, D., & Norenberg, C. (2010). Vardenafil improves erectile function in men with erectile dysfunction and associated underlying conditions, irrespective of the use of concomitant medications. The journal of sexual medicine, 7(1), 244-255.
Van Ahlen, H., Wahle, K., Kupper, W., Yassin, A., Reblin, T., & Neureither, M. (2005). Safety and efficacy of vardenafil, a selective phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, in patients with erectile dysfunction and arterial hypertension treated with multiple antihypertensives. The journal of sexual medicine, 2(6), 856-864.
Corona, G., Razzoli, E., Forti, G., & Maggi, M. (2008). The use of phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors with concomitant medications. Journal of endocrinological investigation, 31(9), 799–808
Rajagopalan, P., Mazzu, A., Xia, C., Dawkins, R., & Sundaresan, P. (2003). Effect of high-fat breakfast and moderate-fat evening meal on the pharmacokinetics of vardenafil, an oral phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitor for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Journal of clinical pharmacology, 43(3), 260–267.
Wensing, G., Bauer, R., Unger, S., Rohde, G., & Heinig, R. (2006). Simultaneous administration of vardenafil and alcohol does not result in a pharmacodynamic or pharmacokinetic interaction in healthy male subjects. International journal of clinical pharmacology and therapeutics, 44(5), 216–224.
de Andrade, E., de Mesquita, A. A., Claro, J., de Andrade, P. M., Ortiz, V., Paranhos, M., & Srougi, M. (2007). Study of the efficacy of Korean Red Ginseng in the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Asian journal of andrology, 9(2), 241–244.
Hong, B., Ji, Y. H., Hong, J. H., Nam, K. Y., & Ahn, T. Y. (2002). A double-blind crossover study evaluating the efficacy of Korean red ginseng in patients with erectile dysfunction: a preliminary report. The Journal of urology, 168(5), 2070–2073.
Stanislavov, R., & Nikolova, V. (2003). Treatment of erectile dysfunction with pycnogenol and L-arginine. Journal of sex & marital therapy, 29(3), 207–213.
Morales, A. M., Mirone, V., Dean, J., & Costa, P. (2009). Vardenafil for the treatment of erectile dysfunction: an overview of the clinical evidence. Clinical interventions in aging, 4, 463–472.