Nadeen Talpur
Department of Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington,
DC, USA
Bobby Echard
Department of Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington,
DC, USA
Debasis Bagchi
School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Creighton University Medical
Center, Omaha, NE, USA
Manashi Bagchi
School of Pharmacy and Health Professions, Creighton University Medical
Center, Omaha, NE, USA
Harry G. Preuss
Department of Physiology, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington,
DC, USA
Pharmaceuticals such as finasteride and alpha blockers are used to treat symptoms of benign
prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and are known to cause severe adverse reactions.
Accordingly, a search for safer, natural products has been undertaken. Two
natural agents (nutraceuticals) have come under
recent scrutiny; because natural products, in general,
often have evidence of long-term safety. The present study compares the in
vivo effects on androgen-induced prostatic enlargement in rats of two nutraceuticals-the widely recognized Saw Palmetto (Serenoa repens) and the less
well-known Pollexia (defined pollen extract).
Non-castrated rats, had a mean prostate weight of 124 mg ± 8.8 (S.E.M.)
compared to the 24.5 mg ± 1.9 (S.E.M.) of the castrated rat followed under the
same regimen (p < 0.01). When castrated rats were given testosterone, the
mass increased significantly to 250.0 mg ± 31.7 (S.E.M.) (p < 0.01). In the
five remaining groups, castrated rats receiving testosterone were given finasteride, an extract of Saw Palmetto, crushed
whole berry derived from Saw Palmetto fruit, a water soluble and fat
soluble extract of Pollexia or a combination of the Saw
Palmetto extract and Pollexia. All treatments
decreased the size of the prostate to roughly the same size as in the
non-castrated rats, a size that was significantly smaller than castrated rats
treated with testosterone in the same manner (p < 0.01). A second study
examining non-castrated rats treated with very high doses of testosterone
showed similar results. In both studies, the nutraceuticals
generally decreased body weight. In
conclusion, these studies show the ability of Saw Palmetto (whole berry
and extract) and Pollexia to influence prostatic
hyperplasia via effects on androgen metabolism.
benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), finasteride,
alpha blockers, Saw Palmetto, Pollexia,
androgen-induced prostatic hyperplasia, castrated and non-castrated rats
Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry
250 (1-2): 21-26, August 2003
Copyright © 2003 Kluwer Academic Publishers
All rights reserved