Skip to main content
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Evidence-Based Supplement Research
Pillser
Search
Sign UpLog In

A review of animal and human studies for management of benign prostatic hyperplasia with natural products: perspective of new pharmacological agents.

  • 2012-06-01
  • Inflammation & allergy drug targets 11(3)
    • Hanieh Azimi
    • Ali-Asghar Khakshur
    • Iman Aghdasi
    • Mehrnaz Fallah-Tafti
    • Mohammad Abdollahi

Study Design

Type
Review
Methods
All pertinent literature databases were searched. The search keywords were plant, herb, herbal therapy, phytotherapy, benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH, and prostate. All of the human, animal and in vitro studies were evaluated.

Objective

In this paper, we reviewed plants being effective in treatment of BPH for the purpose of finding new sources of pharmaceutical agents.

Methods

All pertinent literature databases were searched. The search keywords were plant, herb, herbal therapy, phytotherapy, benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH, and prostate. All of the human, animal and in vitro studies were evaluated.

Results

According to the studies, some of the substantial effective constituents of the plants in treatment of BPH are oenothein B, icaritin, xanthohumol, diarylheptanoid, 2,6,4'-trihydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone, emodin, fatty acids, atraric acid, n-butylbenzene-sulfonamide, curbicin, theaflavin-3,30-digallate, penta-O-galloyl-b-D-glucose, lycopene, sinalbin, β-sitosterol, secoisolariciresinol diglucoside, genistein, apigenin, baicalein, and daidzein. Besides, Serenoa repens, Pygeum africanum, Curcubita pepo, and Urtica dioica as the most prevalent plants used to treat BPH. S. repens in human studies showed equivalent effectiveness to tamsulosin and in combination to U. dioica revealed equal effects to finastride with less side effects.

Conclusion

There are numerous plants that have beneficial influence on BPH although the mechanisms of action in some plants are not well understood yet. Active ingredients of some of these plants are known and can be used as lead components for development of new effective and safe drugs.

Research Insights

Adverse Events Reported

  • Stinging Nettle→Overall tolerability

    S. repens in human studies showed equivalent effectiveness to tamsulosin and in combination to U. dioica revealed equal effects to finastride with less side effects.

    Finding
    Reported
  • Saw Palmetto→Overall tolerability

    S. repens in human studies showed equivalent effectiveness to tamsulosin and in combination to U. dioica revealed equal effects to finastride with less side effects.

    Finding
    Reported
Back to top