Traditional prostate medicine comes with hefty side effects.
So why not use two all-natural plants instead?
After all, they’re just as effective as the drugs and come with no side effects.
This is according to a new study in The Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research.
The study authors explored two plants, Chuquiraga spinosa and Senecio rhizomatus, traditionally used for urinary issues, to see if they could help slow the progression of enlarged prostate and its annoying urinary symptoms.
Since polyphenols have previously been found to have good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity in enlarged prostate models, these two polyphenol-rich plants seemed like good candidates to try.
They divided rats into several groups. All but one group were injected with testosterone to induce enlarged prostate. The rats were then given different doses of the plant extracts, while one group received a standard drug called finasteride, commonly used for treating the condition.
Over 35 days, the researchers observed the rats, monitoring how the treatments affected their prostates, blood levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), and oxidative stress.
To evaluate the antioxidant potential, they also tested the extracts on red blood cells exposed to oxidative stress from hydrogen peroxide. The hope was that the herbs would protect these cells, indicating they could also protect the prostate from damage caused by oxidative stress.
The results were promising.
-
1. Both Chuquiraga spinosa and Senecio rhizomatus showed strong antioxidant properties, protecting red blood cells from damage.
2. The rats that received these herbal treatments had significantly lower PSA levels compared to those that didn’t, suggesting less inflammation and damage in the prostate.
3. The extracts reduced the size of the prostate, with certain doses working as well as finasteride, the standard treatment.
4. The rats treated with the plant extracts showed less severe prostate growth. In some cases, the cellular structures of the prostate were preserved, and the progression from slight enlargement was prevented.
The most effective doses were 500 milligrams per kilogram of body weight of either herb, or a combination of the two.
Neither of these extracts is commonly sold yet, except perhaps in Peru where they grow and are used as medicinal herbs. But if research continues to back their health properties, they might soon become more easily available to treat enlarged prostates.