Planta Med 2006; 72(6): 521-526
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-931538
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Inhibitory Effects of a Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) Extract on Prostate Cancer

Dana Seidlová-Wuttke1 , Paul Thelen1 , Wolfgang Wuttke1
  • 1Department of Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology and *Department of Urology, University of Göttingen, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received: November 17, 2005

Accepted: January 8, 2006

Publication Date:
28 April 2006 (online)

Abstract

The Cimicifuga racemosa extract BNO 1055 (CR) inhibits proliferation of human prostate cancer-derived LNCaP cells. Therefore, we tested the capability of this extract to inhibit formation and/or proliferation of tumors induced by subcutaneous (s. c.) inoculation of LNCaP cells in immunodeficient nu/nu mice. After inoculation of 1 million cells, 12 of 18 animals developed solid tumors while tumor development was seen in only 5 of 18 CR-treated animals and the size of the latter at termination of the experiments 10 weeks after inoculation was significantly smaller than in the control animals. Upon histological inspection, the amount of tumor tissue in the control animals was significantly larger than in the CR-treated animals while in the latter connective tissue was predominant. The CR treatment did not affect serum testosterone levels significantly regardless of whether the animals developed tumors or not. It is concluded that compounds in CR inhibit tumor development, proliferation and dignity of the tumors following s. c. inoculation of LNCaP cells. Hence, the CR extract may prove to be efficient in preventing and treatment of prostate cancer.

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Prof. Dr. W. Wuttke

Klin. und Exp. Endokrinologie

Universitäts-Frauenklinik

Robert Koch-Str. 40

37075 Göttingen

Germany

Phone: +49-551-396-714

Fax: +49-551-396-518

Email: ufkendo@med.uni-goettingen.de