Effects of Serenoa repens Alcohol Extract on Benign Prostate Hyperplasia

Abstract

An increasing tendency has recently emerged for the use of phytotherapeutic agents as alternative to commercial pharmacological agents for the treatment of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Serenoa repens alcohol extract treatment on BPH patients' symptoms and major parameters during one-year follow-up. The study was performed on 70 men aged 40 -79 years (mean 60.58) with symptomatic BPH that were divided into a group of 40 patients treated with Serenoa repens extract (SRT) and a control group of 30 patients that received no treatment and were observed only. The following parameters were determined at the time of diagnosis (baseline), and after 6 and 12 months: prostate size, serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and uroflowmetry parameters including maximum flow rate (MFR), average flow rate (AFR) and post-voiding residual volume (PVRV). In addition, the relevant patient symptoms were evaluated using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) system. The patients in the SRT group showed a statistically significant increment of the average MFR and AFR values and reduction of PV relative to the control group (p<0.05). The significant differences between the proportion of patients with prostate volume >40 ml in the SRE treated group vs. control group was observed (p<0.05). The mean IPSS score was highly significantly reduced in the SRT group (p<0.01). The mild improvements of the urine flow, prostate size and IPSS score during 12 months treatment with the Serenoa repens extract indicate possible efficiency of this phytotherapeutic agent in patients with BPH.

Effect on prostatic specific antigen by a short time treatment with a Curcuma extract: A real life experience and implications for prostate biopsy

“…The best-studied CAM therapies for prostate disease include dietary modification, the aforementioned Serenoa repens (Saw palmetto), Pygeum africanum, phytosterols, rye pollen extract and others, and vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E and selenium (17)(18)(19)(20). These products may be utilized alone or in association with antibiotics (21,22) or anti-inflammatory drugs (23) exploiting in particular the rational of Serenoa's anti-inflammatory action (24). Nevertheless, many of the studies are small, short, not randomized, and/or not placebo controlled and they are not focused on the effects on the PSA.…”

Serenoa Repens (Saw Palmetto) for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS): The Evidence for Efficacy and Safety of Lipidosterolic Extracts. Part II

“…The total number of patients involved in all 17 studies was 1976. Two studies used a hCESr [114,115], 5 studies employed a HESr [26,35,36,116] and 10 studies evaluated an EESr [27,[30][31][32]34,37,38,110,117,118]. The average change in IPSS, QoL, and Qmax across all studies was −4.8, −1.6, and +3.0 mL/s, respectively.…”

“…Of the five HESr studies, the averages for IPSS, QoL, and Qmax were −5.5, −1.1, and +2.0 mL/s, respectively [35,109,116]. Of the 10 EESr studies, the averages were −4.1, −2.0 and +3.8 mL/s, respectively [27,[30][31][32]34,37,38,110,117,118]. Note that of the two carbon dioxide extraction studies that lasted more than 12 months, one was the negative study by Bent [114], and, in the 10 ethanol extraction studies, one was the negative study by Barry [110].…”

<i>Serenoa repens</i> (Saw Palmetto) for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS): The Evidence for Efficacy and Safety of Lipidosterolic Extracts. Part II

“…The total number of patients involved in all 17 studies was 1,976. Two studies used a hypercritical CO2 extract of Serenoa repens (hCESr) [111,112], 5 studies employed a hexanic extract of Serenoa repens (HESr) [23,32,33,113], and 10 studies evaluated an ethanolic extract of Serenoa repens (EESr) [24,[27][28][29]31,34,35,107,114,115]. The average change in IPSS, QoL, and Qmax across all studies was -4.8, -1.6, and +3.0 ml/s, respectively.…”

“…Of the five HESr studies, the averages for IPSS, QoL, and Qmax were -5.5, -1.1, and +2.0 ml/s, respectively [32,106,113]. Of the 10 EESr studies, the averages were -4.1, -2.0, and +3.8 ml/s, respectively [24,[27][28][29]31,34,35,107,114,115]. Note that of the two carbon dioxide extraction studies that lasted more than 12 months, one was the negative study by Bent [111].…”