Suhagra

Suhagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, is a potent drug used to treat erectile dysfunction (ED). It can also be used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and pulmonary artery hypertension.

This article will discuss the uses, side effects, and benefits of Suhagra in detail, so you can make an informed decision about using the medication. We’ll also tell you about some natural ways to help ED, in case you want to try those first.

What is Suhagra?

Suhagra is a blue, rectangular-oval pill manufactured by Cipla Ltd to treat erectile dysfunction.

The active ingredient of Suhagra is sildenafil citrate, a PDE5 enzyme inhibitor. The PDE5 enzyme is in the smooth muscle cells of the wall of blood vessels, including the penile blood vessels.

The main function of the enzyme is to constrict the blood vessels, resulting in decreased blood flow through the vessel and increased blood pressure.

Inhibiting the enzyme increases the blood flow through the penile blood vessels, resulting in an erection. Sildenafil is efficient in treating erectile dysfunction because ED develops due to a lack of proper blood flow to the penis.

Suhagra is also used to treat pulmonary artery hypertension, using the same PDE5 inhibiting mechanism of its active ingredient, sildenafil citrate. It is also beneficial in treating patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Suhagra’s Dosage Options

Suhagra is available in three doses:

25 mg
50 mg
100 mg

Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate dose for you, depending on your condition. Generally, 25 mg is prescribed first as it is best to start at the lowest dose possible and gradually increase or maintain the dose as needed.

The dosage and daily requirements of the drug differ depending on the reason for use. If you are using this medication to treat erectile dysfunction, then you should only take it once in 24 hours and only when needed. However, you may have to take the medication daily if prescribed for benign prostatic hyperplasia. Consult your doctor before changing the dose or if you have missed a dose.

How Long Does it Take for Suhagra to Kick in?

Suhagra’s active ingredient sildenafil citrate, kicks in 20 to 30 minutes after you have taken the medication. Take Suhagra 30 minutes to an hour before sexual intercourse for the best results.

However, the consumption of Suhagra alone is not enough to produce an erection. This medication, like other PDE5 inhibitors, is incapable of producing spontaneous erections and needs proper sexual stimulation and arousal to produce desired results.

How Long Does Suhagra Last?

Suhagra, like Viagra, lasts for only about 3 to 4 hours in your system. You will be able to have an erection during this time if proper sexual arousal and stimulation occur. However, you will not have an erection for four continuous hours, and if that happens, you should seek immediate help as it could be a medical emergency.

How Much Does Suhagra Cost?

Suhagra is a relatively affordable drug, with the price differing for different doses of the medication. The unit price of Suhagra 100 mg ranges from $1.45 to $2.45 and is available in boxes of 20 to 180 pills. The unit price of 50 mg lies between $1.25 and $2.61 for boxes containing anywhere between 4 to 60 pills. Suhagra 25 mg has a unit price range of $0.99 to $2.33 for a box of 4 to 60 tablets.

The History of Suhagra

Suhagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, was initially being studied by Pfizer Pharmaceuticals as a potential medical treatment for hypertension and chest pain, known as angina [1]. However, soon it was discovered that Sildenafil has no effect on these two conditions, and the whole project was scrapped. While reviewing the results of the failed study, it was found that sildenafil resulted in an erection when sexually stimulated.

Further studies confirmed this incidental finding, and that is how sildenafil and its PDE5 inhibiting mechanism became the preferred treatment option amongst men with erectile dysfunction.

Who Should Take Suhagra?

Suhagra is a sex stimulant drug aimed at treating erectile dysfunction among men. It is only recommended for men with erectile dysfunction and not any other ejaculatory or sexual disorders. Men over the age of 18 years suffering from erectile dysfunction can take Suhagra, as prescribed by their doctor.

Is Suhagra Safe?

Suhagra is safe and has the seal of approval from the FDA and Indian Health Authorities [2]. To ensure your safety, you must be aware of the drugs that may interact with it. Taking drugs contraindicated with Suhagra is the main cause of complications. Discuss your current and past medical history with your doctor before starting Suhagra.

Common Side Effects of Suhagra

Suhagra, as a medication, can have certain side effects; however, they usually aren’t serious or life-threatening. Most of them resolve spontaneously without the need for medical interventions.

The common side effects of Suhagra are:

Anxiety
Blurred Vision
Frequent, severe headaches
Hearing loss
Indigestion or Dyspepsia
Loss of vision
Nausea
Shortness of breath or breathing difficulties
Stuffy nose
Sweating
Tinnitus

Potential Drug Interactions With Suhagra

Suhagra and its active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, can interact with other drugs and produce fatal or nearly fatal side effects. It is important to discuss your medical history with your doctor to prevent these potential drug interactions. If you are unsure of your current medications and starting Suhagra, ask your doctor to be on the safe side.

If you are taking any of the following medications, it is strongly recommended that you do not take Suhagra or other PDE5 inhibitors at the same time. Consult your doctor before stopping any medication.

Nitrates

Nitrates or nitroglycerin are medications often used in patients with angina and heart attack symptoms. The main mechanism of these medications is to decrease blood pressure and increase blood flow to meet the heart and muscle’s high demand for oxygen. This mechanism of action is similar to Suhagra, and consuming these medications together could result in extremely low blood pressure that could lead to several complications.

Anti-Hypertensives

Antihypertensive drugs aim to reduce blood pressure, as does sildenafil citrate, the active ingredient of Suhagra. Using these two together may result in sudden low blood pressure that can be life-threatening, especially if left untreated.

Guanylate Cyclase Stimulators

These medications are usually prescribed to treat pulmonary artery hypertension. They reduce pulmonary blood pressure, which is also a potential effect of Suhagra. Hence, using them together targets the pulmonary blood pressure such that there is a dangerous decrease in pulmonary blood pressure.

Antacids

This is a common over-the-counter medication, but it can react with Suhagra, resulting in decreased effects of the latter. It is best to avoid antacids while taking Suhagra.

CYP3A4 Inhibitors

Suhagra is cleared from the body through the effects of the enzyme CYP3A4. Any medication such as ketoconazole, ritonavir, erythromycin, and diltiazem that inhibits this enzyme reduces the clearance of Suhagra from the system. This can result in prolonged and undesired effects of the drug.

CYP3A4 Inducers

Similarly, any medication such as phenobarbital, glucocorticoids, rifampicin, and phenytoin, that induce or stimulate the enzyme can result in its increased function, hence, increasing the clearance of Suhagra from the system. This doesn’t give the drug enough time in the system to produce results.

PDE5 Inhibitors

You should also refrain from taking Suhagra if you are taking any other medication belonging to the PDE5 inhibitors class of drugs as they may amplify the effects of Suhagra, which is not a good thing and can end with almost fatal complications.

Alcohol

Alcohol should not be mixed with Suhagra either, as it increases your risk of developing side effects.

Who Should Not Take Suhagra?

Suhagra is not meant for women or males below the age of 18 years.

You should avoid taking Suhagra if you suffer from the following:

Cardiac disorders such as hypertension and heart failure
Hemophilia and similar blood disorders
Kidney disease
Leukemia
Multiple Myeloma
Retinitis Pigmentosa

You should also avoid Suhagra if you have a history of:

Recent surgery in the last three months.
Recent cardiac incidents in the last three to six months.

Recent Studies into Suhagra

The active ingredient of Suhagra, sildenafil citrate, has been extensively studied for its potential in treating erectile dysfunction [3].

Another study hypothesizes the use of sildenafil citrate in preventing acute kidney injury in patients who have recently undergone cardiac surgery [4]. The initial phases have shown promising results.

As Suhagra is produced with the same formula as sildenafil citrate, further clinical trials on Suhagra itself have not been conducted.

Medical Alternatives to Suhagra

Suhagra’s active ingredient, sildenafil citrate, belongs to the class of drugs known as PDE5 inhibitors. Some drugs belonging to the same class can be used instead of Suhagra. However, it is always best to consult an expert if you have any questions.

Some medical alternatives to Suhagra include:

Alprostadil Injections
Avanafil (Avaforce, Stendra, Avana)
Mirodenafil (Mvix)
Sildenafil (Viagra, Fildena, P-Force, Vygex)
Tadalafil (Cialis, Tadagra, Tadovas, Tadact,Tadacip, Tadalip)
Udenafil (Zydena)
Vardenafil (Levitra, Vilitra, Savitra)

Natural Alternatives to Suhagra

There are many natural or herbal alternatives that are actively used in traditional medicine to treat ED. These alternatives range from herbs and bark of specific trees to amino acids.

It is important to note that there is no scientific evidence supporting the use of these alternatives to treat erectile dysfunction or any other sexual disorder of that nature.

You should consult your doctor before deciding to take these medications, especially along with Suhagra, as there could be potentially fatal drug interactions.

The natural alternatives to Suhagra are:

Horny Goat Weed

This herbal substitute is believed to produce the same results as Sildenafil through the effects of its main extract, icariin, which acts directly on the PDE5 enzyme[5].

Ginkgo Biloba

It has been widely used in Chinese traditional medicine and might increase the blood flow throughout your body, resulting in improved brain and sexual function[6].

Yohimbe

This plant bark is often used in patients with anxiety-induced erectile dysfunction, although no concrete scientific evidence backs up its use [7].

Arginine

This amino acid is commonly used in supplements that claim to improve male sexual function. Arginine also has a vasodilatory effect on the body, hence increasing the blood flow throughout the body. This mechanism is believed to be why it is used in patients with erectile dysfunction. A recent study has found that it may have some role in treating mild to moderate ED [8].

Where to Buy Suhagra

Suhagra pills are readily available in local and online pharmacies. This medication is prescription-only, meaning that you need to provide a doctor’s note to purchase it, regardless of where you are buying it from.

There are also a number of natural remedies you can try first to see if they help. Talk to your doctor before changing medication or adding any supplements.

References

Goldstein, I., Burnett, A. L., Rosen, R. C., Park, P. W., & Stecher, V. J. (2019). The Serendipitous Story of Sildenafil: An Unexpected Oral Therapy for Erectile Dysfunction. Sexual medicine reviews, 7(1), 115–128. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2018.06.005
FDA. (2021). Drugs@FDA: FDA-Approved Drugs. Accessdata.fda.gov. Retrieved 24 August 2021, from https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/daf/index.cfm?event=overview.process&ApplNo=077342.
Krishnappa, P., Fernandez-Pascual, E., Carballido, J., & Martinez-Salamanca, J. I. (2019). Sildenafil/Viagra in the treatment of premature ejaculation. International journal of impotence research, 31(2), 65–70. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41443-018-0099-2
Kumar, T., Aujla, H., Woźniak, M., Dott, W., Sullo, N., Joel-David, L., Pais, P., Smallwood, D., Miller, D., Eagle-Hemming, B., Di Paola, A. S., Barber, S., Brookes, C., Brunskill, N. J., & Murphy, G. J. (2020). Intravenous sildenafil citrate and post-cardiac surgery acute kidney injury: a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial. British journal of anaesthesia, 124(6), 693–701. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bja.2020.01.030
Shindel, A. W., Xin, Z. C., Lin, G., Fandel, T. M., Huang, Y. C., Banie, L., Breyer, B. N., Garcia, M. M., Lin, C. S., & Lue, T. F. (2010). Erectogenic and neurotrophic effects of icariin, a purified extract of horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.) in vitro and in vivo. The journal of sexual medicine, 7(4 Pt 1), 1518–1528. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1743-6109.2009.01699.x
McKay D. (2004). Nutrients and botanicals for erectile dysfunction: examining the evidence. Alternative medicine review : a journal of clinical therapeutic, 9(1), 4–16.
Pyke R. E. (2020). Sexual Performance Anxiety. Sexual medicine reviews, 8(2), 183–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sxmr.2019.07.001
Rhim, H. C., Kim, M. S., Park, Y. J., Choi, W. S., Park, H. K., Kim, H. G., Kim, A., & Paick, S. H. (2019). The Potential Role of Arginine Supplements on Erectile Dysfunction: A Systemic Review and Meta-Analysis. The journal of sexual medicine, 16(2), 223–234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsxm.2018.12.002