hypericum and Prostatic-Hyperplasia

Traditional medicine is very popular in Africa and it is considered as an alternative form of health care. Plants and vegetables used in folk and traditional medicine have gained wide acceptance as one of the main sources of prophylactic and chemopreventive drug discovery and this is due to the evidence of particular biological and biochemical characteristics of each plants extracts. The role of these compounds in urological field may be explained by the antiinflammatory effect through interference with prostaglandin metabolism, alteration of lipid peroxidation, direct inhibition of prostate growth and moreover through an antiandrogenic or antiestrogenic effect and a decrease of the availability of sex hormone-binding globulin. Since Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Prostate Cancer are two of the most diffuse diseases of aging male and considering that standard medical therapy is accompanied with different side effects, the emerging use of African plants may be justified. This review takes a look at some African plants extracts properties and their relative urological application. Different biomolecular mechanisms of action are promising, suggesting a real application in reducing prostate cells proliferation.

Topics: Humans; Hypericum; Hypoxis; Male; Medicine, Traditional; Nerium; Plant Extracts; Plants; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Prostatic Neoplasms; Prunus africana

Topics: Complementary Therapies; Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic; Crataegus; Dementia; Depression; Drug Contamination; Ginkgo biloba; Heart Failure; Herbal Medicine; Humans; Hypericum; Intermittent Claudication; Male; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Serenoa; Treatment Outcome; United States

Because use of herbal remedies is increasing, a risk-benefit profile of commonly used herbs is needed. This article provides a clinically oriented overview of the efficacy and safety of ginkgo, St. John's wort, ginseng, echinacea, saw palmetto, and kava. Wherever possible, assessments are based on systematic reviews of randomized clinical trials. Encouraging data support the efficacy of some of these popular herbal medicinal products, and the potential for doing good seems greater than that for doing harm. The published evidence suggests that ginkgo is of questionable use for memory loss and tinnitus but has some effect on dementia and intermittent claudication. St. John's wort is efficacious for mild to moderate depression, but serious concerns exist about its interactions with several conventional drugs. Well-conducted clinical trials do not support the efficacy of ginseng to treat any condition. Echinacea may be helpful in the treatment or prevention of upper respiratory tract infections, but trial data are not fully convincing. Saw palmetto has been shown in short-term trials to be efficacious in reducing the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Kava is an efficacious short-term treatment for anxiety. None of these herbal medicines is free of adverse effects. Because the evidence is incomplete, risk-benefit assessments are not completely reliable, and much knowledge is still lacking.

Topics: Anxiety; Dementia; Depression; Echinacea; Female; Ginkgo biloba; Humans; Hypericum; Intermittent Claudication; Kava; Male; Memory Disorders; Panax; Phytotherapy; Plant Preparations; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Respiratory Tract Infections; Risk Assessment; Serenoa; Tinnitus

This article reviews complementary and alternative therapies for advanced prostate cancer. This is not a comprehensive survey of nontraditional therapies for prostate cancer. Rather, this review focuses on alternative and complementary therapies with published studies to evaluate efficacy and safety. Three areas are addressed: alternative forms of hormonal therapy, management of side effects of hormonal therapy, and management of skeletal complications.

Topics: Acupuncture; Adenocarcinoma; Androgen Antagonists; Androgens; Anemia; Anticarcinogenic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents; Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal; Breast Neoplasms; Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; Complementary Therapies; Depression; Diphosphonates; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Erythropoietin; Female; Flushing; Humans; Hypericum; Male; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Neoplasms, Hormone-Dependent; Osteoporosis; Phytotherapy; Pilot Projects; Plant Extracts; Prospective Studies; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Prostatic Neoplasms; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Serenoa

Topics: 5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A; Depressive Disorder; Drug Interactions; Enzyme Activation; Finasteride; Humans; Hypericum; Male; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Prostatic Hyperplasia

Topics: Androgen Antagonists; Depression; Ginkgo biloba; Humans; Hypericum; Male; Memory Disorders; Middle Aged; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Prostatic Hyperplasia; Serenoa