Viagra may offer more than its familiar effect in the bedroom, with new research suggesting that the prescription medication could have properties that restrict the spread of cancer. However, the evidence does not establish a proven cause and effect in humans.

The medication, manufactured and distributed by Viatris, is commonly prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction. It works by increasing blood flow during sexual stimulation.

Viagra was initially developed as a treatment for high blood pressure and chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Researchers discovered its unexpected effect on erectile function during clinical trials.

A new study published by the American Association for Cancer Research examined whether the medication could also affect cancer metastasis, which is the formation of new tumors. The findings suggest that sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, may restrict that process.

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Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel conducted the study. The work was led by Dr. Yarden Ariav in the laboratory of professor Ayelet Erez.

The research team also included scientists from the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Together, they analyzed human and mouse cancer cells, conducted genetic experiments and reviewed 20 years of health data involving 5 million members of Clalit Health Services.

Clalit Health Services is Israel's largest nonprofit healthcare provider and health insurer. Researchers also studied how genes, proteins, fats, cholesterol and cellular energy interact.

Their analysis indicated that sildenafil limits the ability of cancer cells to use cholesterol. According to a press release from the American Committee for the Weizmann Institute of Science, that process is important when a cancer cell breaks away from a primary tumor and moves through the body.

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Sildenafil blocks an enzyme called phosphodiesterase type 5, also known as PDE5. Blocking that enzyme increases a signaling molecule called cGMP, which dilates blood vessels and has made Viagra a successful treatment for erectile dysfunction.

According to the researchers, cGMP also binds to a protein responsible for transporting cholesterol inside cells. That interaction reduces the amount of cholesterol available for essential cellular functions.

The researchers noted that cancer cells are "particularly vulnerable to this reduction in cholesterol supply." The findings therefore raised the possibility that the same pathway could be used to interfere with the ability of cancer cells to spread.

Based on the results, the researchers suggested combining drugs from the Viagra family with statins. Statins reduce cholesterol production in the body, while the Viagra related medications could affect tumor cells' access to existing cholesterol.

The proposed combination could potentially restrict cancer spread by reducing access to both existing and newly produced cholesterol. Still, the study did not establish that such a combination provides a proven treatment benefit for patients.

Erez said the findings showed that cancer biology is influenced not only by mutations in tumor cells, but also by a patient's metabolic state and medications being taken for other conditions. She added that the research underscores the importance of treating the whole patient when tailoring therapy.

The researchers also acknowledged important limitations. Because the study used mouse models, its implications for cancer treatment may not translate in the same way to humans.

The human evidence was observational, meaning it identified an association rather than proving cause and effect. Further research would therefore be needed before the findings could establish how Viagra related drugs might be used in cancer care.