In brief
This 1998 trial tested Melanotan II, a cyclic analogue of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone, as an initiator of erections. Ten men whose erectile dysfunction had no known organic cause received the peptide and a vehicle placebo on separate occasions, in random order, without knowing which was which, while rigidity was monitored continuously for six hours. Clinically apparent erections developed in eight of the ten men after Melanotan II. Mean time with tip rigidity above 80 percent was 38 minutes after the peptide and 3 minutes after placebo. Nausea, stretching and yawning, and reduced appetite were reported more often after the peptide; none needed treatment. The authors conclude the compound initiates erections in this group with manageable side effects at the dose studied.
Study design
Double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover in ten men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction; erections recorded by RigiScan over six hours.
What it does not show
Ten participants, one dose level, one session per arm, and a psychogenic population only. It reports an acute effect, not safety or efficacy with repeated use, and it predates the later development of bremelanotide from the same scaffold.
A clinical trial tests a pharmaceutical form of a compound, in a defined patient group, under medical supervision, with a defined endpoint. None of that transfers to a research-grade vial, and this page does not suggest it does.
Where this paper is cited
- Melanotan II — Double-blind placebo-controlled crossover in men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction: the peptide initiated erections in most subjects, with nausea and flushing as side effects.
Other papers cited for Melanotan II
- Review Melanocortin peptide therapeutics: historical milestones, clinical studies and commercialization Hadley & Dorr (2006), Peptides
Further reading
- Research library: every paper cited on this site, by compound and by study type.
- Melanocortin peptides: Melanotan II and KPV
- How to read a certificate of analysis
- Lyophilised peptide storage and stability
How this page was made: the citation was retrieved from PubMed by PMID and checked against the title on the product page; the summary was written from the paper's abstract and reports only what the abstract reports. Read the paper itself before relying on any figure here.