EFFECT OF SERENOA-REPENS EXTRACT (PERMIXON(R)) ON ESTRADIOL TESTOSTERONE-INDUCED EXPERIMENTAL PROSTATE ENLARGEMENT IN THE RAT/

The effect of the lipidosterolic extract of Serenoa repens (LSESR) on experimental prostate enlargement was investigated in three groups of rats: shams treated with LSESR (sham rats), castrated animals treated with estradiol and testosterone (castrated rats), castrated animals tr eated with estradiol/testosterone and treated with LSESR (castrated an d treated rats). Following three months of continuous hormonal treatme nt, the weight of prostates in estradiol/testosterone-treated castrate d rats was significantly increased in comp arisen with sham-operated r ats. Such an increase started rapidly, reached a maximum by 30 days an d remained at a plateau or slightly declined thereafter. The increase of prostate total weight induced by the hormone treatment was inhibite d by administration of LSESR. Indeed, the weight was significantly low er at day 60 and day 90 for the dorsal and lateral regions of the pros tate. The weight of the ventral region of the prostate was significant ly lower after 30 and 60 days treatment with LSESR. These results demo nstrate that administering LSESR to hormone-treated castrated rats inh ibits the increase in prostate wet weight. This effect of LSESR may ex plain the beneficial effect of this extract in human benign prostatic hypertrophy. (C) 1996 The Italian Pharmacological Society.