A new study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, examined if Sildenafil citrate, better known under its marketing name Viagra, could help alleviate menstrual cramps.  After creating a vaginal preparation of the drug, researchers found that it made a significant improvement in relieving acute episodes of menstrual cramps without any discernable side effects.  This study built on existing literature that found related drugs able to relax tissues and increase blood flow without adverse effects.

In an analysis of the study, the Boston Globe online noted that this study was on a very small scale, which indicates that follow up research would be needed to conclusively show that Viagra could be used for the menstrual cramp indication.  These larger studies would demonstrate that a suppository version of Sildenafil citrate is safe and effective.  The current research study was intended to be completed on a larger scale.  Unfortunately, the study depended on funding from the National Institutes of Health that was suddenly cut.

Earlier studies have used Viagra in pill form to relieve pelvic pain successfully, but those resulted in side effects such as an increase in headaches.  This study was notable because the side effects from the pill form no longer existed.  Moreover, while many women find relief from menstrual cramps using over-the-counter ibuprofen, some suffer several days of debilitating pain every month without any relief from current treatments.  If Sildenafil citrate passes muster in the largest studies, it may spell relief for many women.

Viagra is best known as an oral therapy for erectile dysfunction, reports RxList.  Sildenafil citrate is a white to off-white crystalline powder and Viagra is formulated as blue, film-coated rounded-diamond-shaped tablets from the crystalline powder.  Sildenafil citrate can result in signs of allergic reactions including hives, difficulty breathing, and swelling of face, lips, tongue, and throat.  In addition to allergic reactions, other alarming side effects include sudden vision and hearing loss.  The most common side effects were headaches, flushed skin, and dyspepsia.  However, there are numerous rarer side effects that occurred in less than 2 percent of people that took Viagra.

Sildenafil citrate has a number of other pharmacological effects on the body.  For example, taking Viagra showed a significant decreased in seated blood pressure levels, but showed no changes in the overall cardiovascular system as demonstrated by an electrocardiogram.  Also, many saw an increased impairment of color vision.  Specifically, individuals had difficulty discerning between blue and green when the drug was at its peak concentration in blood plasma levels.