Effect of potassium channel modulators on male sexual behavior

In the adult sexually experienced male rat, the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection of pinacidil, a K-ATP channel opener, at the dose of 100 - 150 - 300 mu g/rat worsened the copulatory performance in the presence of a receptive female, whereas the administration of glibenclamide, a K-ATP channel blocker, at the dose of 0.5 and 3 mg/kg intraperitoneally (i.p.) hair an improving effect. These data indicate that K-ATP channels in target neurons my play an important role in the physiology of male sexual behavior.