Addyi®, a Viagra-like drug, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2015 for the treatment of premenopausal women with female sexual interest/arousal disorder. However, Addyi® is currently not yet available in the Malaysian market.
What is Addyi® and what are its effects?
Addyi® contains the active ingredient Flibanserin, which is a medication approved for the treatment of pre-menopausal women with hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD).
HSDD is defined as persistent or recurrent low sexual desire that causes marked distress or interpersonal difficulty and is not due to any other medical or psychiatric condition, problems within the relationship, or the effects of a medication or other drug substance.
Addyi® is thought to work by increasing dopamine and norepinephrine levels in the brain, which may lead to an increase in sexual desire. It should be taken at bedtime every day.
Who should take Addyi®?
Addyi® is used to treat low sexual desire in women who have never had low sexual desire before and have not gone through menopause.
It should only be used when low sexual desire is caused by something other than a medical condition, a mental disorder, relationship problems, or the use of drugs or other medications.
Reasons for Addyi® not available in Malaysia
Addyi® was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2015, as the first FDA-approved treatment for female sexual desire disorders.
However, Addyi's approval is now being questioned. Following a surge in the number of adverse events reported to the FDA in 2020, the FDA has stated that it is "evaluating the need for regulatory action." The FDA's adverse event database lists 175 reports from last year, compared to just 27 in 2019.
The drug has been flagged due to the risk of drug hypersensitivity.
Can women take Viagra?
Viagra works in men by improving their physical sexual function. To achieve an erection, male Viagra dilates the blood vessels and increases blood flow to the penis. Viagra does not work unless a man is aroused. While women are frequently caused by a lack of sex drive.
Female sexual disorder is a more complicated issue in women. It is frequently associated with a lack of sex drive. A woman's sexual arousal and desire can be influenced by a variety of factors.
Many women's sexual desires change throughout their lives. Relationships, stress and physical changes (e.g. pregnancy and menopause) can all have an impact. Viagra does not work for women because the female sexual disorder is not a physical problem and Viagra does not improve sexual arousal.
Thus, there is a lot of speculation about Viagra for women, as the drug hasn't been proven to work in women.
Is there a natural alternative to female viagra (Addyi®)?
Natural Viagra is a viable alternative for females. To relieve the symptoms of FSD, many women are turning to natural or herbal remedies. L-arginine, Ginseng, Ginko, Maca, Fenugreek and Dehydroepiandrosterone are some herbal and natural supplements thought to have sexual-enhancing properties for women.
For example, Libifem® is the brand name for standardised fenugreek extract. Fenugreek contains over 100 phytochemical constituents, including furostanol saponins and steroidal saponins. While fenugreek has many uses, Libifem® has been clinically shown to help reduce normal menopausal symptoms like hot flushes and night sweats, as well as promote a healthy sexual experience, sexual vitality, and desire. Libifem® + Maca supplement formulation is currently available in Malaysia under the brand The PrimAGE FemmeGuard.
Can you buy female Viagra in Malaysia?
Flibanserin (Addyi®) is not licenced in Malaysia because it has not been proven to be effective. As a result, at the moment, it is not possible to obtain female Viagra safely in Malaysia.
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