Classical TCM Brassica campestris L. pollen preparations and a newly developed phytosterol enriched refined extract significantly improve benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a rat model

In Qinghai Province, the Brassica campestris pollen preparation Qianlie-Kang-Pule'an-Tablets (QKPT) is traditionally used for BPH therapy. However, the content of supposedly active phytosterols in QKPT is relatively low at only 2.59%, necessitating high doses for successful therapy. Thus, a phytosterol enriched (4.54%) refined extract (PE) was developed and compared with QKPT in a BPH rat model. Six groups of animals (n = 8 each) – sham operated distilled water control, castrated distilled water control, castrated QKPT 2.0 g/kg, castrated PE 0.1 g/kg, castrated PE 0.2 g/kg, castrated PE 0.4 g/kg – were intragastrically treated with the respective daily doses. Testosterone propionate (0.3 mg/day) was administered to all castrated rats, while the sham operated group received placebo injections. After 30 days, the animals were sacrificed and prostates as well as seminal vesicles excised and weighted for calculating prostate (PI) and seminal vesicle indexes (SVI) (organ weight g/100 g body weight). Compared with sham-operated controls, both PI (p < 0.01) and SVI (p < 0.01) were significantly increased in all castrated rats. After treatment with PE at 0.4 and 0.2 g/kg or QKPT at 2.0 g/kg per day, both indices were significantly reduced (p < 0.01) as compared to the castrated distilled water control. For PE at 0.1 g/kg per day only PI was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). At the highest PE concentration of 0.4 g/kg per day both PI and SVI were also significantly reduced when compared to QKPT (p < 0.05). Thus, both PE and QKPT demonstrated curative effects against BPH in the applied animal model. In the highest dose at 0.4 g/kg per day, PE was clearly superior to QKPT.

Keywords: Brassica campestris L., Brassicaceae, pollen, TCM, phytosterols, benign prostatic hyperplasia