Sildenafil

The name Sildenafil would probably draw nothing more than blank stares and general disinterest among most people. But if I mention Viagra, then it'll click. Your eyes would light up as brand recognition sets in and you'd have this knowing look as you realize what the drug is for. So here's the 411.

Sildenafil, more popularly known under its brand name Viagra, is a drug used for the treatment of erectile dysfunction or impotence. It was originally developed by Pfizer for the treatment of hypertension and angina (chest pain due to lack of oxygen supply of the heart muscle). In the first phase of the clinical trials however, it was found that Sildenafil wasn't very effective in angina but it did have significant effects in inducing male erections.

Pfizer decided to market Sildenafil for impotence and obtained its patent in 1996. The drug was approved by the Food and Drug Administration after two years. Sildenafil became a bestseller almost instantly, reaping around $1 billion in sales from 1999 to 2001.

Sildenafil gained a lot of media coverage upon its release in the market. It also helped that the drug was endorsed by Brazilian football legend Pele and former US Senator Bob Dole. Today, the brand name Viagra has become so much a part of pop culture that it has its own category of jokes and has become a .rich material for gag shows and late-night comedy.