Nutr Res Pract.  2013 Jun;7(3):172-177.

Effect of Phellius linteus water extract on benign prostatic hyperplasia

• Kim YN
• Kim MS
• Chun SS
• Choi JH

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases among elderly men. As the old-age population is increasing recently, it is to our interest to observe the growing BPH within them. In BPH, the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) acts as promotes prostate growth. It inhibits enzyme 5alpha-reductase that is involved in the conversion of testosterone to the DHT activity which reduces the excessive prostate growth. Through experiments, the effects of Phellius linteus water extract performed on the BPH rats were induced by testosterone treatments. For 12 weeks, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with testosterone for the induction of BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: the not treated group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (TN), the testosterone injection and Phellinus linteus treatment group (TP) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (TF). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the TP group and the TF group were significantly lower than the TN group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the TN group were significantly higher than that of the N group. And the TP group was significantly decreased than that of the TN group. While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation; the TP and TF groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the TN group. These suggest that Phellinus linteus water extracts may be an useful remedy for treating the benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Keyword

Phellius lineteus; benign prostatic hyperplasia; acne symptoms; hair growth; dihydrotestosterone

MeSH Terms

Aged
Animals
Atrophy
Dihydrotestosterone
Epithelial Cells
Finasteride
Humans
Male
Prostate
Prostatic Hyperplasia
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Testosterone
Water
Dihydrotestosterone
Finasteride
Testosterone
Water

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Testosterone levels of each experimental group. All values are mean ± SE (n = 10). Those with different superscripts in the same column are significantly different at P < 0.05 by Tukey's test.

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  Fig. 2 Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) levels of each experimental group. All values are mean ± SE (n = 10). Those with different superscripts in the same column are significantly different at P < 0.05 by Tukey's test.

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  Fig. 3 H&E stains of protate tissue from the rats (× 40). Normal prostate (N): Tubular glands are lined by simple tall columnar epithelium and supported by a connective tissue stroma. Control prostate (TN): The glands are cystically-dilated and highly-infolded, and are lined by simple columnar epithelium, which is supported by a fibrous and edematous stroma. Phellius linteus prostate (TP): The glands show atrophy and are lined by flattened epithelial cells and stromal proliferation is relatively decreased compared to TN group. Finasteride prostate (TF): The glands show atrophy and the epithelium is flattened and stromal fibrosis is not observed, but stromal edema is not decreased.

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