Alprostadil calculator
A prostaglandin used to treat erectile dysfunction and to keep a fetal heart vessel open in newborns. A prescription drug.
Also known as: Prostaglandin E1, PGE1, Caverject, Muse
FDA status — not an approved drug Alprostadil is FDA-approved as a prescription drug for erectile dysfunction (Caverject, Edex, Muse) and to maintain ductus arteriosus patency in newborns. It requires a prescription and careful dosing.
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What Alprostadil is
Alprostadil is prostaglandin E1, an FDA-approved prescription drug. It is used for erectile dysfunction (as an injection or urethral pellet) and, in intensive care, to keep a vital fetal blood vessel open in newborns with certain heart defects. It is not a peptide and requires careful medical dosing.
Research depth: 5/5 Decades of approved medical use for specific indications; requires careful medical dosing. Human trials: Approved for specific indications. This measures how much has been studied — counting animal and laboratory work — not whether it works for you.
How Alprostadil works
As a prostaglandin, it relaxes smooth muscle and dilates blood vessels. In the penis this increases blood flow to produce an erection; in the newborn heart it keeps the ductus arteriosus open. Because it acts directly on vascular smooth muscle, dosing errors can cause dangerously prolonged erection or low blood pressure.
Alprostadil side effects
Commonly reported
- Injection-site pain or burning
- Penile pain
- Prolonged erection (a dose that is too high)
- Dizziness or low blood pressure
Serious — seek medical care
- Priapism — a prolonged, painful erection requiring emergency treatment
- Penile fibrosis with repeated injections
- Low blood pressure
- Requires precise medical dosing
This list is not exhaustive. Report anything unexpected to the clinician who prescribed it. If you have severe abdominal pain, trouble breathing, or signs of an allergic reaction, seek care the same day. See also our guide to peptide side effects by class.
A worked example
A 0.5 mg vial reconstituted with 1 mL of bacteriostatic water gives 0.5 mg/mL. A 20 mcg dose is then 0.04 mL — about 4 units on a 100-unit insulin syringe, giving roughly 25 doses per vial before accounting for residual volume left in the vial and syringe.
Prefer paper? Download the printable Alprostadil dosing chart (PDF) — every vial size and water volume in syringe units, with the same review byline as this page. All charts →
Commonly cited dose range
Figures circulating for Alprostadil run from 5 mcg to 40 mcg. Prescription dosing for erectile dysfunction is in micrograms, individualized by a clinician and started low. Figures shown are reference points in micrograms. Follow the prescribing clinician's labeling.
Read this as reference information, not instruction. These numbers describe what is commonly discussed, not what is right for any individual. Dose, frequency, and whether to use Alprostadil at all are decisions for a licensed clinician who knows your history.
Common questions
Is alprostadil a peptide?
No. Alprostadil is prostaglandin E1, a lipid-derived signaling molecule, not a peptide. It appears on some supplier lists but is pharmacologically distinct.
How is alprostadil used?
For erectile dysfunction it is injected into the penis or inserted as a pellet, with dosing started low and titrated by a clinician. In newborns it is given by IV in intensive care to keep a heart vessel open. Both are medical procedures.