alleviates testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity and androgen receptor signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Recently, herbal medicines have gained attention for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in elderly men. In this study, we aimed to determine the effect of ethanol extract of (EAR), which is traditionally used to treat various diseases, on BPH development using a testosterone-induced BPH model.

MATERIALS/METHODS: Testosterone propionate (TP)-treated Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a BPH model . EAR was orally administered along with TP, and finasteride was used as a positive control. All rats were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, and pathological changes in the prostate tissue and levels of key biomarkers associated with BPH pathogenesis were assessed.

RESULTS

Oral administration of EAR significantly inhibited TP-induced BPH by reducing the prostate weight, lumen size, and epithelial thickness in a concentration-dependent manner. EAR also significantly abrogated the expression of 5α-reductase type 2 (SRD5A2), proliferating cell nuclear antigen, and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) induced by TP. Additionally, serum levels of testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and PSA were elevated in the TP-induced group but decreased in the EAR-treated group. EAR also decreased the expression levels of the androgen receptor (AR) and its coactivators in TP-induced BPH model rats.

CONCLUSION

Our findings revealed that EAR protected against BPH by inhibiting 5α-reductase activity and AR signaling pathway, suggesting its potential for BPH treatment.