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Can Viagra prevent or reverse Alzheimer’s disease? Older men’s ship may be coming in. New research from the Cleveland Clinic suggests the erectile-dysfunction drug could ward off cognitive decline, illustrating how artificial intelligence can help scientists repurpose old medications for new diseases. The study, published this month in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, builds on earlier research by the Cleveland Clinic that identified sildenafil, the generic name for Viagra, as a promising Alzheimer’s treatment. Researchers first identified genes associated with the disease’s pathology, amyloid plaque and tau tangles in the brain. They then mapped out the molecular interplay among more...

(CNN)Pharmaceutical distributor AvKare is voluntarily recalling 100mg sildenafil tablets and 100mg trazodone tablets due to a "product mix-up," the company announced Wednesday. The tablets were "inadvertently packaged together" when they were bottled by a third-party vendor.Sildenafil is the active ingredient in Viagra, which is used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Trazodone is used to treat major depressive disorder. Unintentional consumption of sildenafil can pose serious health risks for those with underlying health issues, such as lowering blood pressure to dangerous levels for those taking prescriptions containing nitrates.

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Circulation: active ingredient sildenafil makes stiffened cardiac walls elastic againHow sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, can alleviate heart problems is reported by Bochum's researchers in cooperation with colleagues from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester (Minnesota) in the journal Circulation. They studied dogs with diastolic heart failure, a condition in which the heart chamber does not sufficiently fill with blood. The scientists showed that sildenafil makes stiffened cardiac walls more elastic again. The drug activates an enzyme that causes the giant protein titin in the myocardial cells to relax. "We have developed a therapy in an animal model that, for...

WASHINGTON -- The Food and Drug Administration warned consumers yesterday not to buy or use the supplements Actra-Rx or Yilishen because they contain an ingredient that could lower blood pressure to unsafe levels. The FDA also moved to block imports of the supplements, calling them "dangerous ... and even life-threatening." The agency said the supplement bears the name Yilishen when it is imported from China and is sold as Actra-Rx within the United States. Laura Alvey, an FDA spokeswoman, declined further comment, saying the matter is under investigation that may lead to criminal or civil enforcement actions. When the FDA...