Bremelanotide: What is it and how can it help?
Peptides seem to have been taking the world by storm in recent years, and not just the medical and pharmacy world. Although peptides have become rather newsworthy in the past decade (thank you Semaglutide!), peptides are far from being new and are essential to our chemistry. Just think about insulin, glucagon, and anti-diuretic hormone!
To give you a little background, a peptide is comprised of a chain of amino acids, very similar to proteins. The chain of amino acids is linked by peptide bonds, hence the name. The shorter chain allows for a vast range of therapeutic benefits at a molecular level. Peptides have been found to help reduce blood pressure and blood clots, and have antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. This blog is going to focus on another peptide with yet another clinical benefit to add to peptide’s vast clinical usage.
Bremelanotide, (Bre Mel an OH tide), is an FDA approved peptide used for the treatment of premenopausal women with acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder. It is sold under the injectable trade name of Vyleesi. However, we are going to investigate the off-label usage of Bremelanotide as a nasal spray for both men and females to aid in hypoactive sexual desire disorder and impotence.
Bremelanotide acts on receptors in the body with the primary belief that these sites in the body have been found to be involved in the brain pathway regulating sexual behavior and erectile disfunction. The nasal spray can be used once daily right before desired sexual activity (about 30-45 minutes before). This peptide is not for you if you have any uncontrolled blood pressure as it can reduce your heart rate and increase your blood pressure after each dose (your heart rate and blood pressure usually will return to baseline around 12 hours! Just make sure to only use once in a 24-hour period.) Other side effects to be on the lookout for may be nausea, skin pigmentation, headache, flushing, fatigue, hot flashes, and dizziness. With some of these side effects, it is recommended to not be administered more than twice weekly or eight times monthly.
This nasal spray is a great option for both men and females, especially for those looking for an alternative to injections! Schedule a consultation with our pharmacist to see if this treatment could work for you.
BETSY DEAN was born and raised in Houston, Texas, and earned her BS and PharmD degrees at the University of Georgia. She moved to Chattanooga after graduation and quickly fell in love with the outdoor activities and community Chattanooga offers.
Betsy joined the Designer Drugs team in 2022 and has been an integral part of our team. She enjoys hiking, biking, and running with her husband, loving on her cat Penny, and baking/cooking for friends.
