Last Updated January 31, 2024

 January 31, 2024

Curious about how PT-141 and Cialis interact with each other?

Below, researchers will find everything they must know about these potent treatments.

PT-141 is commonly known as bremelanotide, and has been approved under that name by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a treatment of libido issues in premenopausal women.

Yet researchers are now studying the peptide as a potential treatment of sexual dysfunction in men, including conditions like erectile dysfunction and lack of sexual desire.

On the other hand, tadalafil (Cialis) is one of the most popular erectile dysfunction medications on the market, and has been FDA approved since 2003.

Researchers investigating male sexual disorders might want to learn more about:

  • How both PT-141 and Cialis influence the body?
  • Is PT-141 a safer option than Cialis?
  • Is it safe to administer PT-141 and Cialis concurrently?

Read on for answers to these questions, as well as whether in injectable form or as a nasal spray works better for the research.

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What is PT-141?

PT-141 is a peptide analog of α-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH), an endogenous melanotropin known for its roles in stimulating melanogenesis and modulating sexual activity [1].

The peptide is known to have high affinity at the melanocortin 3 and 4 receptors (MC3-R and MC4-R), which are widely expressed in the brain and associated with aphrodisiac effects.

PT-141 thus works differently from approved erectile dysfunctions medications like Cialis, which work by stimulating blood flow to the penis via vasodilation. On the contrary, PT-141 sends signals directly to the neuronal connections responsible for arousal in both men and women.

The peptide was first developed by Palatin Technologies, and in the United States is today prescribed under the trade name Vyleesi, an injection-based treatment of hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women [2, 3].


pt-141 and cialis


Benefits of PT-141

While PT-141 has been approved to treat HSDD in premenopausal women, research has shown that this peptide can provide benefits in male subjects who suffer from conditions like erectile dysfunction and low libido.

PT-141 as an Alternative to PDE5 Inhibiting Treatments

In a PT-141 study conducted back in 2004, researchers sought to determine the effects of this peptide in ED patients who were unable to achieve erections suitable for vaginal penetration despite taking the PDE5 inhibitor Viagra (sildenafil). The researchers found a statistically significant erectile response in these patients at PT-141 doses of 4mg and 6mg. The authors concluded that PT-141 was safe and well-tolerated and proposed the peptide as an ED treatment with a “potentially broad patient base” [4].

Two years later in 2006, Iranian researchers similarly conducted a study on 342 men with ED who did not respond to sildenafil. The patients were instructed to intranasally self-administer PT-141 doses of 10mg each, 45 minutes to two hours before sexual stimulation. The patients who received PT-141 experienced “significantly greater intercourse satisfaction” compared to placebo [5].

PT-141 May Positively Impact Mood and Well-being

Melanocortin peptides have been shown to facilitate the neurotransmission of dopamine. A two-week study conducted on rodents showed changes in dopamine D(1)-like receptor binding in various sections of the rodents’ brains as a result of intracerebroventricular infusion of melanotan 2, from which PT-141 was originally developed [6].

The authors suggested that changes in dopaminergic neurons can be achieved by chronic infusion of a melanocortin receptor agonist, and that a greater sense of well-being can result from the regulatory activity of melanocortin peptides such as PT-141 on central dopamine neurons [6].

PT-141 Induces Sexual Desire in Female Subjects With Low Libido

As we mentioned, PT-141 (bremelanotide) is already approved to treat libido issues in premenopausal women. A 52-week trial on the safety and efficacy of bremelanotide, involving 856 premenopausal women with HSDD, has demonstrated that PT-141 treatment led to “sustained improvements in hypoactive sexual desire disorder symptoms” in the female patients [7].


What is Cialis?

Cialis is a brand name for the prescription drug tadalafil, a selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor used to treat men with mild to severe erectile dysfunction (ED), including those with diabetes mellitus. It works by selectively inhibiting cGMP-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), which is found in all vascular tissue [8, 9].

It is also approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is age-related of the prostate gland that can cause problems with urination. Tadalafil is also used as a long-term treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the US, Canada, and Japan [9].

Cialis is typically self-administered orally as a tablet at varying strengths of 2.5mg, 5mg, 10mg, or 20mg. Its effects may last up to 36 hours [10].

While generally regarded as safe, Cialis has been shown to produce mild to moderate adverse effects, with the most commonly reported being headache, dyspepsia, back pain, and myalgia [8, 10, 11].

In a safety study involving 400+ men, both healthy and men with ED, researchers investigated the potential of tadalafil to affect spermatogenesis or reproductive hormones. The researchers found that daily administration of tadalafil at doses of 10mg and 20mg over six months did not have any effect on spermatogenesis or reproductive hormones in the men [11].


Benefits of Cialis

In addition to its use as an erectile dysfunction treatment, Cialis may produce a number of other benefits in men, which we outline below.

Cialis and Prostate Health

It is well-established in the literature that Cilalis (tadalafil) is effective in treating benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or age-associated enlargement of the prostate gland. In cases of lower urinary tract symptoms or enlarged prostate, tadalafil’s action as a PDE5 inhibitor and resultant changes in NO/cGMP signaling, has the effect of relaxing prostatic smooth muscle and thus mitigating urethral pressure. Daily administration of a dose of 5mg of Cialis yields statistically significant improvements in both BPH and ED symptoms in men suffering from either both conditions [12, 13].

Cialis Increases Vascularity and Blood Flow

In a four-week study back in 2006, Italian researchers sought to investigate whether Cialis could improve endothelium-dependent vasodilatation of cavernous arteries in ED patients, and whether this would be borne out in endothelial function markers. The researchers found that 20mg of tadalafil administered on alternate days produced an increase in peak systolic velocity (PSV) and flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) in the men, with improvements being maintained from two weeks after discontinuation [14].

Cialis Improves the Testosterone to Estrogen Ratio

In another early Italian study, researchers sought to determine whether tadalafil could cause positive long-term changes in the sex hormones of ED patients, due to their resumption of sexual activity thanks to tadalafil. In the study, 20 patients received tadalafil 10-20 mg on demand for 12 months. They ultimately showed sustained improvement in sexual health due to an increased testosterone to estrogen ratio, mainly thanks to estrogen reduction.

The researchers surmised that tadalafil achieved this effect by preventing the enzyme aromatase from converting testosterone to estrogen, thus helping patients attain a more optimized testosterone to estrogen ratio [15].

Cialis Can Improve Relationship Satisfaction

A 12-month study in 1900 erectile dysfunction patients showed that Cialis could improve the relationships of couples. Prior to the men being given Cialis, 17% of the couples had reported relationship problems. Following 12 months of Cialis administration, only 4% of participants reported relationship problems. This study indicated that erectile dysfunction is a cause of relationship problems, and that introducing Cialis can overcome ED and thus improve relationship satisfaction [16].


PT-141 and Cialis | Can They Be Taken Together?

Since PT-141 and PDE5 inhibitors like Cialis can potentially boost male libido and mood, researchers may be interested in co-administering these compounds to study their combined effects.

However, there are no studies that have determined the effects of PT-141 specifically being coadministered with Cialis.

Yet there is research on PT-141 being co-administered with Viagra, another PDE5 inhibitor that works similarly to Cialis. While the two have different pharmacokinetics profiles, experts state that tadalafil is “not really distinguishable from sildenafil in terms of efficacy and side effects” [17].

In a study conducted on nineteen male patients with erectile dysfunction, researchers directed the volunteers to self-administer both Viagra 25mg and PT-141 7.5mg intranasally. The researchers found that co-administration of PT-141 and sildenafil produced a more profound erectile response than administering sildenafil alone. Importantly, the coadministration of the two compounds was safe and well-tolerated and did not result in any new adverse events [18].

This study opens up the door to the co-administration of Cialis and PT-141, which may yield a similar outcome.


PT-141 vs. Cialis

PT-141 and Cialis have both been noted for their effects on alleviating symptoms of erectile dysfunction. However, the two have different mechanisms of action, methods of administration, and contraindications:

  • Cialis inhibits the enzyme phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), which causes decomposition of cGMP, thus regulating the circulation of blood to the penis. On the other hand, PT-141 binds primarily to the melanocortin receptors MC3R and MC4R, which regulate motivation for sex and sexual arousal [19].
  • In simple terms, PT-141 acts via the central nervous system to incite arousal, while Cialis can only function to deliver a stronger erection if arousal is already present.
  • Cialis is typically self-administered in capsule form, while PT-141 may either be injected subcutaneously or administered intranasally.
  • Cialis should not be administered alongside nitrate drugs for chest pain or heart problems, like nitroglycerin, isosorbide dinitrate, isosorbide mononitrate. It should not be taken with alcohol. On the other hand, PT-141 is contraindicated in patients with uncontrolled hypertension or known cardiovascular disease [20, 21].

pt-141 and cialis


Where To Buy PT-141 Online? | 2024 Edition

Licensed researchers and laboratory professionals may purchase PT-141 online for scientific pursuits. While there are a number of peptide vendors to choose from, not all are created equally.

For example, some vendors take peptide quality very seriously and submit all of their products to a third-party laboratory for quality and purity testing. Others, however, do not take these measures, and instead send out peptides of dubious quality.

At Peptides.org, we’re insiders of the research peptides community, and know exactly which vendors to buy from, and which to avoid. Here is our favorite pick:

Limitless Life

Researchers in search of high-quality PT-141 may check out Limitless Life, a trusted leader within the research peptides community.

This vendor is known for:

  • Independent Lab Testing: The company sends each batch of PT-141 to an independent laboratory for quality and purity testing via high performance liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS). Limitless Life produces some of the purest research peptides around.
  • Fast Shipping: Shipping is lightning fast, with most domestic orders taking just two to three business days to arrive. This is because Limitless Life offers FedEx two-day shipping standard. What’s more, orders over $350 qualify for free shipping.
  • Researcher Support and Service: Limitless Life’s professional support and service team is available to answer any inquiry by phone or email. This makes it simple for researchers to get questions answered on the fly.
  • Fantastic Return and Reship Options: Limitless Life understands the needs of the research community. As such, the vendor has developer a flexible return and reship policy. This ensures researchers are sure to get their peptides no matter what. They also offer affordable shipping insurance to offer researchers peace of mind.
  • Responsible Research-Use Only Source: Limitless Life peptides and products are for research purposes only. The vendor prides themselves on working within the research community. This unique approach shows their commitment to responsible distribution or research peptides, which ensures safety for researchers.

Also, don't forget one more thing when buying PT-141 online…

Limitless Life offers researchers a 10% discount on the next order using our exclusive link. Just click the button below and add this code:

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Nasal Spray vs. Injectable PT-141

By now, researchers are likely aware that PT-141 peptide may be administered either via subcutaneous injection or as a nasal spray.

Some researchers may prefer a PT-141 spray due its ease of administration and portability, since a PT-141 in spray form is already reconstituted and does not need to be prepared for injection. Most PT-141 nasal spray formulas need not even be refrigerated, unlike injectable PT-141.

A PT-141 nasal spray may also produce a slightly faster response in the patient, compared to subcutaneous administration. However, any discrepancy is likely to be minimal, seeing as both the Vyleesi manufacturer of the injectable formulation and research studies conducted using PT-141 nasal sprays recommend administering PT-141 about 45 minutes prior to sexual intercourse [5, 21].

The gold standard form of PT-141 administration remains subcutaneous administration. However, studies have shown that a research-grade nasal spray may be equally as effective.

Researchers who may benefit from the convenience of a PT-141 nasal spray should visit Limitless Life.

Limitless Life offers a top-notch PT-141 spray which contains 50mg PT-141, which is potent and powerful enough to compete with aliquot PT-141 powders. This is very rare, but quite impressive.

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Bacteriostatic Water and PT-141

There is no getting around the need for certain lab supplies when handling PT-141 and all other research peptides. To safely and correctly administer peptides, a researcher must be equipped with a standard set of essential items.

What should be in this toolkit? Required materials include alcohol swabs and bacteriostatic water, among others.

Overall, a research lab may require supplies and materials like:

  • Bacteriostatic Water
  • Insulin Syringes
  • Alcohol Prep Pads
  • Sterile Empty Glass Vials
  • Large Needles + Syringes

It should be noted that…

Researchers opting for PT-141 nasal spray do not need to acquire such materials for their labs.


Cialis and PT-141 | Verdict

PT-141 and Cialis may both be used to address male sexual dysfunction during research, yet these two compounds have different methods of action and administration.

While Cialis has been approved by the FDA to treat erectile dysfunction, among other conditions, PT-141 still only has FDA approval to treat low libido in premenopausal women.

However, there is extensive literature that illustrates the benefits that PT-141 may offer to male research subjects, most notably to those with erectile dysfunction who do not respond to Viagra, which like Cialis is a PDE5 inhibitor.

Researchers interested in exploring this massive upside of PT-141 should visit Limitless Life for both injectable and spray variations of PT-141.


References

  1.  Dhillon S, Keam SJ. Bremelanotide: First Approval. Drugs. 2019 Sep;79(14):1599-1606. doi: 10.1007/s40265-019-01187-w. PMID: 31429064.
  2. Mayer D, Lynch SE. Bremelanotide: New Drug Approved for Treating Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. Ann Pharmacother. 2020 Jul;54(7):684-690. doi: 10.1177/1060028019899152. Epub 2020 Jan 1. PMID: 31893927.
  3. Bremelanotide (Vyleesi) for hypoactive sexual desire disorder. Med Lett Drugs Ther. 2019 Jul 29;61(1577):114-116. PMID: 31381550.
  4. Rosen RC, Diamond LE, Earle DC, Shadiack AM, Molinoff PB. Evaluation of the safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic effects of subcutaneously administered PT-141, a melanocortin receptor agonist, in healthy male subjects and in patients with an inadequate response to Viagra. Int J Impot Res. 2004 Apr;16(2):135-42. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901200. PMID: 14999221.
  5. Safarinejad MR, Hosseini SY. Salvage of sildenafil failures with bremelanotide: a randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled study. J Urol. 2008 Mar;179(3):1066-71. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2007.10.063. Epub 2008 Jan 18. PMID: 18206919.
  6. Lindblom J, Kask A, Hägg E, Härmark L, Bergström L, Wikberg J. Chronic infusion of a melanocortin receptor agonist modulates dopamine receptor binding in the rat brain. Pharmacol Res. 2002 Feb;45(2):119-24. doi: 10.1006/phrs.2001.0913. PMID: 11846623.
  7. Simon JA, Kingsberg SA, Portman D, Williams LA, Krop J, Jordan R, Lucas J, Clayton AH. Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of Bremelanotide for Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder. Obstet Gynecol. 2019 Nov;134(5):909-917. doi: 10.1097/AOG.0000000000003514. PMID: 31599847; PMCID: PMC6819023.
  8. Curran, M.P., Keating, G.M. Tadalafil. Drugs 63, 2203–2212 (2003). https://doi.org/10.2165/00003495-200363200-00004
  9. Nazzareno Galiè, MD , Bruce H. Brundage, MD , Hossein A. Ghofrani, MD , Ronald J. Oudiz, MD , Gerald Simonneau, MD , Zeenat Safdar, MD , Shelley Shapiro, MD , R. James White, MD , Melanie Chan, PhD , Anthony Beardsworth, MD , Lyn Frumkin, MD, PhD , Robyn J. Barst, MD. Tadalafil Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. On behalf of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Response to Tadalafil (PHIRST) Study Group.
  10. Carson, C., Rajfer, J., Eardley, I., Carrier, S., Denne, J., Walker, D., Shen, W. and Cordell, W. (2004), The efficacy and safety of tadalafil: an update. BJU International, 93: 1276-1281. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1464-410X.2004.04819.x
  11. HELLSTROM, W. A. Y. N. E. J. G., OVERSTREET, J. A. M. E. S. W., YU, A. L. B. E. R. T., SAIKALI, K. H. A. L. I. L., SHEN, W. E. I., BEASLEY, C. H. A. R. L. E. S. M., & WATKINS, V. I. S. H. S. (2003). Tadalafil has no detrimental effect on human spermatogenesis or reproductive hormones. Journal of Urology, 170(3), 887–891. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.ju.0000081053.97792.da
  12. Won JE, Chu JY, Choi HC, et al. Safety and Effectiveness of Once-Daily Tadalafil (5 mg) Therapy in Korean Men with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia/Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in a Real-World Clinical Setting: Results from a Post-Marketing Surveillance Study. The World Journal of Men's Health. 2018 May;36(2):161-170. DOI: 10.5534/wjmh.17017. PMID: 28879692; PMCID: PMC5924958.
  13. Haddad A, Jabbour M, Bulbul M. Phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors for treating erectile dysfunction and lower urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia: A comprehensive review. Arab J Urol. 2015 Sep;13(3):155-61. doi: 10.1016/j.aju.2015.06.004. Epub 2015 Jul 10. PMID: 26413339; PMCID: PMC4563010.
  14. Aversa A, Greco E, Bruzziches R, Pili M, Rosano G, Spera G. Relationship between chronic tadalafil administration and improvement of endothelial function in men with erectile dysfunction: a pilot study. Int J Impot Res. 2007 Mar-Apr;19(2):200-7. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijir.3901513. Epub 2006 Aug 31. PMID: 16943794.
  15. Greco EA, Pili M, Bruzziches R, Corona G, Spera G, Aversa A. Testosterone:estradiol ratio changes associated with long-term tadalafil administration: a pilot study. J Sex Med. 2006 Jul;3(4):716-722. doi: 10.1111/j.1743-6109.2006.00264.x. PMID: 16839328.
  16. Verheyden, B., Roumeguère, T., Bitton, A., Belger, M., & Schmitt, H. (2015, December 16). Effects of 12‐month tadalafil therapy for erectile dysfunction on couple relationships: Results from the Detect Study. The Journal of Sexual Medicine. Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1743609515323389
  17. Porst, H., & Buvat, J. (2006). Future Aspects of Pharmacotherapy in Erectile Dysfunction. In Standard practice in sexual medicine (p. 109). essay, Blackwell Pub.
  18. Diamond LE, Earle DC, Garcia WD, Spana C. Co-administration of low doses of intranasal PT-141, a melanocortin receptor agonist, and sildenafil to men with erectile dysfunction results in an enhanced erectile response. Urology. 2005 Apr;65(4):755-9. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2004.10.060. PMID: 15833522.
  19. Wessells H, Blevins JE, Vanderah TW. Melanocortinergic control of penile erection. Peptides. 2005 Oct;26(10):1972-7. doi: 10.1016/j.peptides.2004.11.035. PMID: 15992962; PMCID: PMC4768007.
  20. Cialis uses, dosage & side effects. Drugs.com. (n.d.). Retrieved August 26, 2022, from https://www.drugs.com/cialis.html
  21. Walid. (2019, August 16). About Vyleesi: Approved bremelanotide injection for HSDD. Vyleesi (bremelanotide injection) 1.75mg/0.3 ml | for subcutaneous use only. Retrieved August 22, 2022, from https://www.vyleesi.com/about-vyleesi/

Scientifically Fact Checked by:

David Warmflash, M.D.

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