Dapoxetine - a treatment for Premature Ejaculation

What is Dapoxetine?

Dapoxetine is the first medication of its kind: a medical treatment for Premature Ejaculation. Originally created as an anti-depressant, not a treatment for PE. However, during trials, the original pharmaceutical company dropped it as an anti-depressant. This was because the body absorbs eliminates the drug in too rapid a manner to be an effective anti-depressant. However, these and later trials indicated the compound was effective in the treatment of PE.

How does Dapoxetine work?

The drug works by inhibiting a protein that transports serotonin at the neurotransmitter level. The natural effect of this transport is a recycling and termination of the serotonin effect on neurons. By inhibiting this protein, the body delays the process of building towards ejaculation.

This medicine is part of a group of medications known as selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (or SSRI drugs). SSRIs inhibit serotonin recycling and maintain serotonin levels. For this reason, SSRIs are effective anti-depressants and used extensively. Typically, the absorption and dissolution process is much slower in drugs prescribed for anti-depression as these allow a balanced level of the SSRI to build up in the blood stream. This leads to serotonin levels plateauing over time and thus acts as a mood leveller. Unfortunately, one of the side-effects of long-term anti-depressant use is a decreased libido and symptoms of Erectile Dysfunction.

Since the body absorbs and excretes Dapoxetine in a matter of hours, Doctors do not prescribe it as a reliable anti-depressant. It can however be very effective as a short-term treatment for premature ejaculation. Due to the nature of this compound, it does not cause a decrease in libido or symptoms of ED.

Dapoxetine has a half-life of around 90 minutes. Clinical trials showed best effect against PE when taken 1-3 hours before sexual contact. Food intake did not affect absorption or medical effectiveness of the compound.