Mechanisms and Efficacy of Chinese Herbal Medicines in Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.
10.1007/s11655-024-3916-0
- Author:
Fu WANG
1
;
Dong-Yue MA
1
;
Jiu-Tian YANG
2
;
Dong-Fang LYU
3
;
Qing-He GAO
1
;
Chun-Lei LI
4
;
Chong-Fu ZHONG
5
,
6
Author Information
1. Department of Andrology, Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Beijing, 100091, China.
2. Graduate School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
3. Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China.
4. Faculty of Medicine, Linyi University, Linyi, Shandong Province, 276000, China.
5. Department of Andrology, The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China. zhongcf212@
6. com.
- Publication Type:Review
- Keywords:
Chinese herbal medicine;
benign prostatic hyperplasia;
efficacy;
mechanism
- MeSH:
Prostatic Hyperplasia/drug therapy*;
Humans;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*;
Male;
Animals
- From:
Chinese journal of integrative medicine
2025;31(1):73-82
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases in elderly men, the incidence of which gradually increases with age and leads to lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) are widely used for the treatment of BPH in China and some other countries. To explore the molecular mechanisms of CHMs for BPH, we conducted a review based on peer-reviewed English-language publications in PubMed and Web of Science databases from inception to December 31, 2023. This article primarily reviewed 32 papers on the use of CHMs and its active compounds in the treatment of BPH, covering animal and cell experiments, and identified relevant mechanisms of action. The results suggest that the mechanisms of action of CHMs in treating BPH may involve the regulation of sex hormones, downregulation of cell growth factors, anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, inhibition of cell proliferation, and promotion of apoptosis. CHMs also exhibit α-blocker-like effects, with the potential to relax urethral smooth muscle and alleviate LUTS. Additionally, we also reviewed 4 clinical trials and meta-analyses of CHMs for the treatment of BPH patients, which provided initial evidence of the safety and effectiveness of CHMs treatment. CHMs treatment for BPH shows advantages as a multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway therapy, which can mitigate the severity of the disease, improve LUTS, and may become a reliable treatment option in the future.
