A new study has revealed that a daily dose of erectile dysfunction drug tadalafil (Cialis) may help to relieve symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

The study, which is published in the October 2008 issue of the Journal of Urology, indicates that the drug could relieve lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) associated with BPH.

Research was conducted by teams at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas, Northwestern University and Lilly Research Laboratories, with more than 1,000 men in ten countries being tested.

The team scored results using the International Prostate Symptom Score and found that all doses of tadalafil were superior to the placebo for relief of LUTS. Patients were given doses of either 2.5, 5.0, 10.0 or 20.0 mg of tadalafil per day.

Claus G Roehrborn MD, from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre, said: "The half-life of tadalafil is 17.5 hours, making it suitable as a once-daily therapy.

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