Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention in Signaling Pathways Related to Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia： A Review
10.13422/j.cnki.syfjx.20250892
- VernacularTitle:中医药干预良性前列腺增生症相关信号通路研究进展
- Author:
Shenglong LI
1
;
Ganggang LU
1
;
Yonglin LIANG
2
;
Xu MA
1
;
Meisheng GONG
3
;
Hui LI
1
;
Yuanbo ZHAO
1
;
Dacheng TIAN
1
;
Yongqiang ZHAO
4
;
Xixiang LI
4
Author Information
1. School of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine，Gansu University of Chinese Medicine，Lanzhou 730000，China
2. School of Basic Medical Sciences，Gansu University of Chinese Medicine，Lanzhou 730000，China
3. Graduate School，Heilongjiang Academy of Chinese Medicine，Harbin 150006，China
4. Gansu Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Lanzhou 730050，China
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
benign prostatic hyperplasia;
traditional Chinese medicine;
signaling pathway;
research progress
- From:
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae
2025;31(12):287-295
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia （BPH） is a common chronic progressive disease in middle-aged and elderly men， characterized by prostate enlargement and bladder outlet obstruction， leading to symptoms such as frequent urination， urgency， and difficulty urinating. The pathogenesis of BPH involves factors such as aging， hormonal metabolic abnormalities， inflammatory responses， and imbalances in cell proliferation and apoptosis. Currently， the main treatment methods for BPH include medication， physical therapy， and surgical intervention. However， medication may cause side effects like sexual dysfunction and hypotension， physical therapy has limited efficacy， and surgery carries risks and postoperative complications. Therefore， there is an urgent need to find safer and more effective treatment options. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its focus on treatment based on syndrome differentiation and a holistic approach， offers therapeutic advantages through multiple pathways and mechanisms. Recent studies have shown that TCM regulates pathways such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， nuclear factor-κB （NF-κB）， mitogen-activated protein kinases （MAPK）， nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element （Nrf2/ARE）， androgen receptor （AR）， transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β）/Smad， and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α/vascular endothelial growth factor （HIF-1α/VEGF） to inhibit oxidative stress and inflammatory response， reduce prostate cell proliferation， and promote apoptosis， thus exerting therapeutic effects. This article summarizes and analyzes the roles of these signaling pathways in the occurrence and development of BPH and the mechanisms of TCM intervention， aiming to provide scientific evidence for clinical treatment and drug development for BPH.
