Addyi a Year Later

So, my friend Jeff asked another puzzler this week, "What happened to Addyi?" Addyi is the brand name for a little pink pill called flibanserin and known as the 'female Viagra'.  It received approval from the FDA, in August, 2015. It is a non-hormonal serotonin to treat a little or no sexual desire disorder in pre-menopausal women. The manufacturer states that flibanserin corrects an imbalance of dopamine and norepinephrine, both responsible for sexual excitement, while decreasing levels of serotonin, responsible for sexual inhibition.

The difference between Addyi and Viagra type drugs is that the men's medications are physiological. Addyi targets lack of libido and affects the balance of certain chemicals in the brain. It also requires a daily (taken at bedtime) dose. JAMA reported a benefit for flibanserin over a placebo.

One study showed marginal results for women, compared to Viagra's immediate physical results for men.  Severe adverse reactions have been observed, including dizziness, low blood pressure, and passing out after taking the drug along with much alcohol.

Incidentally, in English the meaning of the name Addy is ardent (characterized by intense emotion).

Aphrodisiacs

Men may be more biologically focused, with sexual problems stemming from more influence on veins arteries and nerves, but they are also influenced by stress and fatigue. Women may have more of a psychological influence, but are also subject to hormonal shifts and biological facets.

Pharmaceutical medications for the treatment of sexual problems are only available for men. These drugs, like Viagra and Cialis, are used to treat erectile dysfunction. However, the FDA is expected to approve the drug flibanserin this month, for the treatment of low libido in women.

Ginseng was shown to be effective at treating erectile dysfunction in several double-blind, placebo-controlled studies.