Herbal Medicine for Prostatitis and Hyperplasia of Prostate Gland - All Forums

Pulsatillae Root (白头翁)

Sun, 06 May 2012 09:35:46 +0000

Latin:
Radix Pulsatillae

Origin:
Chinese pulsatilla root is the root of the perennial plant Pulsatilla chinensis (Bunge) Regel, of the Ranunculaceae family. Native to East Asia, it is grown from east Siberia to Inner Mongolia, the northeast and north of China. A related herb, Pulsatilla nigricans, is native to northern Europe and England. This wild plant grows in sunny meadows, pastures, and fields.

The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects. A crown of leaves forms on the ground, from which a single flower grows in March and May. The stem reaches a height of about 10-40 cm and has downy hairs that grow on it. The flower is colored blue violet.

The root is harvested in spring. When used, remove leaves and residual flower stems and fibrous roots from the roots, retaining the white tassels at the root heads, dry them in the sun and use when raw.

Also called Anemone Root, Wood Anemone, Wild-flower Root, Pasque Flower Root.

Properties:
Bitter in flavor, cold in nature, it is related to the large intestine channel.

Functions:
Clears away heat to expel toxic substances, removes heat from the blood and arrests diarrhea.

The plant was used medicinally during ancient times as an external remedy for ulcers and eye inflammation. During the 19th century, European physicians had noted pulsatilla's use in the treatment of melancholy, swelling of the knees, and nervous system disorders.

Applications:
1. For treating dysentery with bloody stools due to toxic heat:

This herb can be used alone or in combination with Chinese goldthread rhizome (Rhizoma Coptidis), cork tree bark (Cortex Phellodendri) and ash bark (Cortex Fraxini), e.g., Baitouweng Tang. In recent years, it has produced good results in the treatment of bacillary dysentery and amoebic dysentery.

2. For treating vaginal itching and malaria:

A) Vaginal itching (trichomonal vaginitis):

This herb is decocted together with ash bark (Cortex Fraxini) for external washing.

(B) Malaria:

It is used with Chinese thorowax root (Radix Bupleuri), skullcap root (Radix Scutellariae) and betel nuts.

Dosage and Administration:
6-15 g.

Decoct the ingredients for drinking. Use an adequate amount externally.

Cautions on Use:
This herb should be avoided by anyone who suffers from diarrhea due to cold of the insufficiency type.

When chewed, a caustic substance contained in the plant burns the tongue and throat. When applied topically, it may cause blisters on the skin.

Reference Materials:
Shen Nong's Herbal Classic : "To treat pyrexial malaria, mania, chills and fever, masses in the abdomen, goiter, etc."

"Eliminating blood stasis, killing pain and healing incised wounds."

On Drug Properties : "Abdominal pain, dysentery with bloody stools, toothache, ... general arthralgia."

Toxic or Side Effects:

Modern Researches:
The plant contains lactones protoanemonin, saponins, anemone camphor, tannins, and a volatile oil. It is antispasmodic and antibacterial and acts on the nervous system.

The fresh herb is a cardiac and nervous sedative, producing a hypnotic state with a diminution of the senses followed by a paralizing action.

A constituent similar to digitalis can be extracted from the whole herb with the roots removed. This is cardiotonic.

The Chinese pulsatilla root has clear antimicrobial effects on Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus pyocyaneus, Bacillus subtilis and salmonella. Its decoction and the saponin contained therein can resist amoebae to a marked degree. This herb has notable results in killing Trichomonas vaginalis. It also has a mild inhibitory effect on influenza virus.

The root is anodyne, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent and sedative. The root is an effective cure for bacterial and amoebic dysentery. It is also used in the treatment of malaria, epistaxis and haemorrhoids and is used externally to treat trichomonas vaginitis.

Shanzhuyu Fructus Corni (山茱萸)

Sun, 22 Apr 2012 01:32:35 +0000

Latin Name:
Fructus Corni

Properties:
sour, slightly warm

Channels entered:
Kidney, Liver

Text in which first appeared:
Divine Husbandman’s Classic of the Materia Medica

Actions and Indications:
Stabilizes the Kidneys and retains the essence: for leakage of fluids due to weak essence with such symptoms as excessive urination, incontinence, spermatorrhea, and excessive sweating

Stops excessive sweating and supports that which has collapsed: for excessive sweating, especially in cases of devastated yang and collapsed qi, as in shock.

Tonifies and augments the Liver and Kidneys: for Liver and Kidney deficiency with such symtptoms as lighheadedness, dizziness, sore and weak lower back and knees, or impotence. This herb both tonifies the essence and assists the yang.

Stabilizes the menses and stops bleeding: for deficiency patterns of excessive uterine bleeding and prolonged menstruation. It has only a weak effect on the bleeding.

Major Combinations:
With Fructus Rosae Laevigate (jin ying zi) for spermatorrhea or premature ejaculation.

With Os Draconis (long gu), Concha Ostreae (mu li), Radix Lateralis Carmichaeli Preparata (fu zi), and Radix Ginseng (ren shen) for profuse sweating due to devastated yang.

Radix Astragali Membranacei (huang qi) and Radix Codonopsitis Pilosulae (dang shen) for spontaneous sweating usually resulting from yang or qi deficiency.

With Radix Angelicae Sinensis (dang gui) and Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Conquitae (shu di huang) for night sweats due to yin deficiency.

With Fructus Schisandrae Chinensis (wu wei zi) for spermatorrhea, abnormal sweating, palpitations, and shortness of breath due to yin and yang deficiency of both the Liver and Kidneys.

With Radix Rehmanniae Glutinosae Conquitae (shu di huang) and Radix Dioscoreae Oppositae (shan yao) for urinary frequency (during the day and night), dizziness, tinnitus, lower back pain, and other symptoms associated with Kidney deficiency. Add GElatinum Cornu Cervi (bu jiao jiao) and Fructus Psoraleae Corylifoliae (bug u zhi) for impotence and premature ejaculation due to Kidney yang deficiency.

With Os Sepiae seu Sepiellae (hai piao xiao), Radix Rubiae Cordifoliae (qian cao gen), and charred Fibra Stipulae Trachycarpi (zong lu tan) for thin, pale, profuse uterine bleeding that either gushes or continually trickles out due to instability of the penetrating vessel.

With Cortex Eucommiae Ulmoidis (du zhong) and Radix et Caulils Jixueteng (ji xue teng) for hypertension due to Liver and Kidney deficiency.

Cautions and Contraindications:
Contraindicated in cases with painful and difficult urination or those with damp- heat. According to some traditional sources, this herb antagonizes Radix Platycodi Grandiflori (jie geng), Radix Ledebouriellae Divaricatae (fang ji). See Toxicity below.

Major Known Ingredients:
verbanalin, saponins, morroniside, 7- o- methylmorroniside, loganin, cornusiin A and B, ursolic acid, tannin, vitamin A

Pharmacological & Clinical Research:
Antibiotic effect: Decoctions of Fructus Corni Officinalis (shan zhu yu) have shown an in vitro inhibitory effect and lowered blood pressure with little effect on serum glucose.

Toxicity:
This herb has very low toxicity. When given to various animals no signs of toxicity were noted except increased congestion of the gastic mucosa. It had no effect on rabbit conjunctiva. Fructus Corni Officinalis (shan zhu yu) also has a very low incidence of side effects and is a mild parasympathomimetic.

Ophiopogon Root (麦门冬)

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 02:35:43 +0000

Ophiopogon Root

Other Common Names
Ophiopogon

Pharmaceutical Latin
Radix Ophiopononis

Pinyin
Mai Men Dong

Atmospheric Energy
Cold

Taste
Sweet and bitter

Organ Meridian Systems
Lung, Heart and Stomach

Part Used and Form
Tuberous root

Primary Functions
Provide cooling Yin to the Heart, Lungs and Stomach, to promote production of body fluids, to clear heat in the heart and relieve irritability, to relieve dry cough, dry mouth and tongue, and to moisten the bowels

Qualities
This herb is very similar in its actions to wild Asparagus root, a close relative. It is primarily used as a Yin tonic, and especially as a Yin tonic to the heart and lung. It is excellent for moistening any dryness in the body. Being a cold herb, it can cool down hot symptoms and relieve Yin deficiency conditions such as Yin-deficiency insomnia and irritability, especially when blended with herbs such as fresh Rehmannia, Asparagus root and Coptis.

It is a great herb for people who experience hot, dry lungs. Smokers and people exposed to smoke, smog, desert heat and dust will benefit from a daily dose of this herb. Singers and public speakers will find that Ophiopogon moistens the throat and vocal cords, improving vocal quality. It helps relieve sticky sputum For dry throat and lungs, Ophiopogon can be combined with herbs such as Fritillaria, Asparagus root, Glehnia and fresh Rehmannia.

When blended with Dong Gui and Cistanche, Ophiopogon is very useful for relieving dry-type constipation.

The Taoists perceived an even deeper level of purpose for consuming the this herb. They considered Ophiopogon a major Shen tonic herb. Like Asparagus root, it was considered extremely valuable for mastering one's own heart. It is found in a wide number of Taoist formulas. By cooling down the heat in the heart it helps to steady the emotions and control the mind. Combine with major Shen developing tonics such as wild Ginseng, Ganoderma, and Asparagus root, etc.

Ophiopogon root is an ingredient in an extremely popular tonic preparation called Formula for Restoring Pulse Beating, which consists of relatively equal parts of Panax Ginseng, Ophiopogon root and Schizandra fruit. This formula is famous for quickly rebuilding energy in those that have experienced trauma or surgery and for those recovering from illness.

Primary Combinations
Combine with:

1. Glehnia root, Asparagus root, Raw Rehmannia to tonify Lung yin
2. Glehnia root, Asparagus root, Raw Rehmannia and Fritillary bulb to treat dry cough due to Lung yin deficiency
3. Raw Rehmannia, Zizyphus seed and Coptis to treat irritability and insomnia due to pathogenic heat entering the heart

Varieties and Grading
Most Ophiopogon available in Asia is of similar quality. But fresher Ophiopogon, which is gummier and more pliable is better than stiff, hard, dry tubers.

Contraindications
Use moderately in cases of cold, deficient Spleen resulting in diarrhea.

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50% Men Feel Worse After Removal of Prostate Gland

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:28:39 +0000

50% men who have undergone removal of prostate gland claim to feel worse after the surgery. Even then 75% of them said that they would undergo prostatectomy if they were placed in a similar situation again.

236 men who were part of the study were questioned about how they felt after their prostatectomy. It was found that 3 out of 4 had regained their physical and mental well-being and had no more problems with urinary incontinence than before the operation. But only 1 out of 4 had recovered his ability to have sexual intercourse.

Researchers found that men were more likely to get their quality of life back if they had undergone a kind of surgery which does not affect the nerves that control erection and if they had participated in a rehabilitation program like talk therapy or a drug regimen for treating erectile dysfunction.

Swelling of Prostate Gland Prevented with New drug

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:25:54 +0000

Estrogen regulating drugs might aid in prevention of enlargement of the prostate gland in older men according to Australian scientists.

Results of animal studies that were presented at a medical conference in London showed that an experimental estrogen-regulating drug prevented the swelling of the prostate gland which occurs as men age.

Professor Gail Risbridger, of Monash University in Melbourne said, “We still have to try the drugs in humans, but so far these are very promising results.”

“This work holds out the possibility that we may be able to help patients with benign disease as well as men with prostate cancer by using these designer drugs.”

Enlarged prostate, or benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease in men over 60 causing urinary problems, infections and pain.

Although estrogen is generally considered a female hormone it also plays a role in the development of the prostate gland having both positive and negative effects.

Risbridger said, “There are two things that estrogens do, good and bad, but in different diseases.”

The bad effect is that the hormone can cause malignancy but on the positive side it can stop BPH from developing.

On testing an estrogen receptor-beta agonist on transgenic mice with BPH Risbridger and her team found that the drug activated just one of the two cell receptors for the hormone to produce the positive impact. This was presented at the Society for Endocrinology conference.

The scientists found that regulating the estrogen receptor beta stopped the development of benign prostate hyperplasia, while the negative effects were due to switching on the estrogen receptor alpha.

She said, “When you give one of the estrogen selective drugs that only activates a particular type of estrogen receptor, beta, you can prevent the hyperplasia from developing.”

The drug was found to stop the development of the illness and improve the health of the animals which had existing BPH.

Risbridger added, “Ideally, we would want to promote the good effects of estrogen receptor beta and block the bad effects of estrogen receptor alpha.”

“It’s interesting work, and we are pleased that preclinical testing may translate into real benefits for patients.”

Source-Medindia

Risk Of Prostate Enlargement Reduced By Aspirin

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:15:32 +0000

According to the latest findings of the researchers at Mayo Clinic, Minnesota ‘taking aspirin and other similar painkillers reduces the risk of developing enlarged prostates up to 50%.’ The results of this study were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, a condition that could make urination difficult or trigger a need to urinate frequently – added the doctors. More than half of the men in their seventies are affected by this condition.

"We would not recommend that every man go out and take aspirin, but if they are already taking it regularly for other reasons, our findings suggest another benefit as well." Dr. Jenny St. Sauver, chief researcher of the team said.

Doctors at Mayo clinic are likely to pursue the study on NSAIDS as the recent findings have reported that the drugs reduce the risk of prostate cancer apart from preventing heart diseases and arthritis symptoms.

NSAIDs are also associated with possible side effects like stomach ulcers, disruption of the blood clotting system and asthma attacks.

Source-Medindia

FDA Approves Cialis to Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 02:12:14 +0000

October 6, 2011 -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Cialis (tadalafil) to treat the signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition in which the prostate gland becomes enlarged, and for the treatment of BPH and erectile dysfunction (ED), when the conditions occur simultaneously. Cialis was approved in 2003 for the treatment of ED.

Common symptoms of BPH include difficulty in starting urination and a weak urine stream; a sudden urge to urinate; and more frequent urination including at night.

The severity of symptoms of BPH can be measured using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). In two clinical trials, men with BPH who took 5 milligrams (mg) of Cialis once daily experienced a statistically significant improvement in their symptoms of BPH compared to men who were treated with placebo. The trials based their findings on a reduction in total IPSS scores.

In a third study, men who experienced both ED and BPH and who took 5 mg of Cialis once daily had improvement in both their symptoms of BPH and in their ED compared to men who were treated with placebo. The improvement in ED was measured using the Erectile Function domain score of the International Index of Erectile Function.

“BPH can have a big impact on a patient’s quality of life,” said Scott Monroe, director of the Division of Reproductive and Urologic Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. “A large number of older men have symptoms of BPH. Cialis offers these men another treatment option, particularly those who also have ED, which is also common in older men.”

Cialis should not be used in patients taking nitrates, for example nitroglycerin, because the combination can cause an unsafe decrease in blood pressure. Also, the use of Cialis in combination with alpha blockers for the treatment of BPH is not recommended because the combination has not been adequately studied for the treatment of BPH, and there is a risk of lowering blood pressure.

The FDA has approved eight other drugs to treat symptoms of BPH: Proscar, (finasteride), Avodart (dutasteride), Jalyn (dutasteride plus tamsulosin), and the alpha blockers: Hytrin (terazosin), Cardura (doxazosin), Flomax (tamsulosin), Uroxatral (alfuzosin) and Rapaflo (silodosin).

Cialis is manufactured by Indianapolis-based Eli Lilly and Co.

Source: FDA

Posted: October 2011

Patients with most severe form of prostatitis show signs for periodontitis: Researche

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:46:19 +0000

Researchers from Case Western Reserve University School of Dental Medicine and University Hospitals Case Medical Center report initial results from a small sample that inflammation from gum disease and prostate problems just might be linked. They discuss their new evidence in the Journal of Periodontology, the official journal of the American Academy of Periodontology.

The researchers compared two markers: the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) used to measure inflammation levels in prostate disease, and clinical attachment level (CAL) of the gums and teeth, which can be an indicator for periodontitis.

A PSA elevation of 4.0 ng/ml in the blood can be a sign of inflammation or malignancy. Patients with healthy prostate glands have lower than 4.0ng/ml levels. A CAL number greater than 2.7 mm indicates periodontitis.

Like prostatitis, periodontitis also produces high inflammation levels.

"Subjects with both high CAL levels and moderate to severe prostatitis have higher levels of PSA or inflammation," stated Nabil Bissada, chair of the department of periodontics in the dental school.

Bissada added that this might explain why PSA levels can be high in prostatitis, but sometimes cannot be explained by what is happening in the prostate glands.

"It is something outside the prostate gland that is causing an inflammatory reaction," he said.

Because periodontitis has been linked to heart disease, diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis, the researchers felt a link might exist to prostate disease.

Thirty-five men from a sample of 150 patients qualified for the study, funded by the department of periodontology at the dental school. The participants were selected from patients at the University Hospitals Case Medical Center with mild to severe prostatitis, who had undergone needle biopsies and were found to have inflammation and in some patients, malignancies.

The participants were divided into two groups: those with high PSA levels for moderate or severe prostatitis or a malignancy and those with PSA levels below 4 ng/ml. All had not had dental work done for at least three months and were given an examination to measure the gum health.

Looking at the results, the researchers from the dental school and the department of urology and the Institute of Pathology at the hospital found those with the most severe form of the prostatitis also showed signs for periodontitis.

Source: Case Western Reserve University

Exercise More for Better Sex

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:44:19 +0000

Young men need to get up off the couch and exercise for sex if they want to enjoy better sexual function, according to a new study. Emory University researchers report that men 40 and younger who participate in exercise outside the bedroom will enjoy better sexual function, orgasm, and intercourse behind closed doors.

Earlier studies found an association between erectile dysfunction and lack of exercise among middle-aged men, along with a direct correlation between greater physical activity and an improvement in erectile function. However, researchers had not studied the impact of exercise on sexual function in healthy younger men.

The study group included 78 healthy men aged 18 to 40 years who were classified based on how much exercise they participated in each week: 27 men who burned 1,400 calories or less per week, and 51 who burned more than 1,400 calories per week. Both the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) Test and Paffenbarger Physical Activity Questionnaire were used to help the authors arrive at their conclusions.

Men who were less physically active also experienced more difficulties in the bedroom, as they had significantly increased erectile dysfunction and problems with orgasm, and less satisfaction with intercourse and their sexual experiences overall. One factor that did not appear to be affected by exercise was sexual desire, which was similar for both groups of young men.

Reference: Hsiao W et al. Exercise is associated with better erectile function in men under 40 as evaluated by the International index of erectile function. J Sex Med 2011 Dec 6; online

Study links high-fat diet as potential cause of prostatic diseases

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:41:09 +0000

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men with an estimated 192,280 new cases diagnosed in the US in 2009 (Jemal 2009). Diet is considered one of the most important controllable risk factors for inflammation and prostate diseases including benign prostatic hyperplsia (BPH), prostatitis, and prostate cancer.

Sanjay Gupta, MS, PhD, Carter Kissell associate professor & research director in the Department of Urology and associate professor in the Department of Nutrition in the Case Western Reserve School of Medicine, and his team of post-doctoral fellows have focused on understanding the mechanisms of the deleterious effects of a high fat diet on the prostate. Previously, Dr. Gupta's team demonstrated that nuclear factor kappa B (NF-B), a protein complex that controls DNA transcription which is activated as a result of inflammation and stress, is constitutively activate in human prostate adenocarcinoma and is related to tumor progression (Shukla S et al, Neoplasia, 2004).

New Surgical Treatment for BPH is Safe and Effective

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:39:04 +0000

In the quest for newer and more effective BPH treatment, scientists have developed a new technology called prostatic arterial embolization, a minimally invasive procedure that can be performed on an outpatient basis. A report about the success of prostatic arterial embolization was presented at the XXXIII Brazilian Congress of Urology by Francisco C. Carnevale, University of Sao Paulo Medical School, and his associates.

Prostatic arterial embolization, which was developed at the University of Sao Paulo Medical School, works like this. First, a radiologic procedure is used to map the patient’s blood supply to the prostate gland. Then a clinician accesses the blood flow to the prostate through a percutaneous puncture and catheter in the patient’s upper thigh. He or she then introduces Embosphere® Microspheres, minute spherical particles engineered to block the blood supply to the prostate, causing the gland to eventually shrink. The entire procedure takes about 2.5 hours.

Carnevale and associates conducted a phase II study that involved 11 men aged 59 to 78 years with BPH who had not responded to oral alpha-blockers for BPH. After the men underwent prostatic arterial embolization, the prostates reduced in size by an average of 30 percent. Ten of the 11 men had BPH symptoms relief and their catheter was removed after an average of 12 days. After a minimum 10-month follow-up, the ten men were deemed a clinical success and reported a significantly improved quality of life. In the one remaining patient, the prostate had reduced in size by only 5 percent, and after undergoing two embolizations he was referred for a transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP).

In addition to being a minimally invasive procedure, prostatic arterial embolization also is not associated with major side effects such as urinary incontinence, erectile dysfunction, retrograde ejaculation, and blood loss, which can occur after other BPH treatment. In fact, the side effects reported after the prostatic arterial embolizations performed by Carnavale’s team included mild pain in the perineal region in all men, slight rectal bleeding in 3 of 12 (one of the men underwent two embolizations), diarrhea in 2 men, and bladder ischemia in 1.

Joao Martins Pisco, MD, chief radiologist at Hospital Pulido Valente and director of interventional radiology at St. Louis Hospital, both in Lisbon, Portugal, also has been working with prostatic arterial embolization. At the 2011 annual meeting of the Society of Interventional Radiology in Chicago, Pisco reported on his experience with 84 men with BPH who had not responded to other BPH treatments.

After an average 9-month follow-up, prostatic arterial embolization was declared successful in 98.5% of the men. Extreme improvement of BPH symptoms was reported by 91.7% of the patients, 7.1% had slight improvement, and one (1.2%) reported no improvement. Similar to the Carnevale study, Pisco reported no major complications. “While the gold standard treatment for enlarged prostates has been TURP,” he said, “minimally invasive prostatic artery embolization is safe, performed under local anesthesia, and has comparable clinical results—without TURP’s complications.”

According to Carnevale, “An estimated 25 percent of benign prostatic hyperplasia patients fail or experience clinical complications from medical treatment. Currently, approximately 500,000 men undergo surgery every year in the US for BPH.” Therefore there are a great number of men who could benefit from prostatic arterial embolization. Now for the less-than-good news: prostatic arterial embolization is still in its preliminary stages and so is not available for the public yet, but additional research is being pursued.

SOURCES:

Carnevale FC. Presented at the Brazilian Congress of Urology, November 22-26, 2011, Santa Catarina, Brazil

Knaub J. Prostate embolization. Radiology Today 2011 May; 12(5): 28

Silodosin helps reduce chronic prostatitis in men

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:37:59 +0000

New findings show that treatment with a specific alpha blocker helps reduce symptoms and improve quality of life for men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS).

The alpha-blocker, known as silodosin, works by selectively relaxing the muscles in the bladder neck and prostate. The treatment is already approved in Canada, the United States, the EU and Japan to treat painful symptoms of another prostate gland condition, benign prostatic hyperplasia, commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate.

Despite being the most common form of prostatitis, CP/CPPS is the most misunderstood and difficult to treat because the symptoms are very similar to other conditions and requires a significant degree of testing and screening to identify.

"Antibiotics are commonly used as a treatment, but are not typically effective, probably because CP/CPPS does not seem to be caused by a bacterial infection," explains lead researcher Curtis Nickel, a professor in the Department of Urology, practicing urologist at Kingston General Hospital, and Canada Research Chair in Urologic Pain and Inflammation.

CP/CPPS is a debilitating condition characterized by persistent discomfort in the lower pelvic area including the bladder area, testicles, and penis. Symptoms can be severe and include painful and frequent urination and difficult or painful ejaculation. The cause of the condition is unknown.

In Dr. Nickel's study, approximately 60 per cent of men reported feeling better after treatment with silodosin versus 30 per cent of participants who were given a placebo. The number of patients who reported feeling better is higher than in a similar study he ran several years ago that tested the effects of a different alpha blocker.

Source: Queen's University

More of saw palmetto does not reduce urinary symptoms related to BPH

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:36:08 +0000

Men with urinary problems related to an enlarged prostate who received increasing doses of the fruit extract saw palmetto did not experience a reduction in these symptoms compared to men who received placebo, according to a study in the September 28 issue of JAMA.

"Benign prostatic hyperplasia [BPH; an enlarged prostate gland] is a common cause of bothersome lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among older men and may be treated with medications, minimally invasive therapies, or surgery. Plant extracts are also widely used for LUTS in the United States and Europe. The most common are extracts of the fruit of the saw palmetto dwarf palm tree," according to background information in the article. In a 2007 U.S. survey, 17.7 percent of adults reported use of a natural product in the last 30 days and 5.1 percent of users had taken saw palmetto. Several recent clinical trials have questioned the efficacy of the use of saw palmetto in treating LUTS. Symptoms of LUTS may include urination frequency, urgency and hesitancy.

Michael J. Barry, M.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, and colleagues conducted a study to determine if a standard daily dose of saw palmetto extract increased to a double and then a triple daily dose over 72 weeks would improve LUTS attributed to BPH. The multicenter, placebo-controlled randomized trial was conducted at 11 North American clinical sites between June 2008 and October 2010. The trial included 369 men, ages 45 years or older, with a certain minimum peak urinary flow rate and an American Urological Association Symptom Index (AUASI; a self-administered 7-item index assessing frequency of LUTS [range, 0-35 points]) score of between 8 and 24 at 2 screening visits. Participants received 1, 2, and then 3 doses (320 mg/d) of saw palmetto extract or placebo, with dose increases at 24 and 48 weeks.

Prostate Cancer - Cardiovascular Risks Linked To Androgen Suppression Therapy Ignored

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:34:52 +0000

According to specialists' warnings published in Heart, it has been established that androgen suppression therapy (AST) drugs, that suppress testosterone production for the treatment of prostate cancer, can lead to complications in form of stroke and heart disease, yet standard management of the disease ignores this risk.

According to the authors, AST is the primary treatment for advanced prostate cancer and is evidently very efficient, however, mounting evidence indicates that these drugs also substantially raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, and may also be linked to a higher risk of mortality from these causes, the authors add referring to evidence of various published research.

They say that since the introduction of prostate specific antigen (PSA) tests, the number of men who have been started on AST at an earlier stage has risen significantly and will continue to do so. Other side effects of hormone suppression include thinning of the bones, a higher risk of fractures fatigue and less muscle function.

The authors state that even though it remains unclear whether there is a direct causal association between these drugs and cardiovascular disease, there are definitely plausible explanations for the impact these drugs have on increasing the risks for stroke and heart disease. This is a fact that has not been overlooked by various initiatives, such as the American Heart Association, the American Cancer Society, and the American Urological Association, who have issued a joint statement to this effect.

The authors point out that one study estimates that for every 1,000 men who underwent AST therapy for five years the result will be an additional 360 extra cases of diabetes, 315 cases of heart disease, 42 more strokes and 28 additional heart attacks, which equates to £700 million to £2 billion ($1.1 billion to $3 billion) in NHS (National Health Service, UK) costs between 2004 and 2009 alone.

New Study About Prostatitis In The Journal Of Urology Shows Increasing Evidence That

Fri, 23 Dec 2011 01:33:01 +0000

New Study About Prostatitis In The Journal Of Urology Shows Increasing Evidence That Chronic Prostatitis Is A Muscle Tension Disorder

In the November 2009 issue of the Journal of Urology, Stanford Medical School researcher Dr. Rodney Anderson and researchers at the National Center for Pelvic Pain Research, in a new study, demonstrated a high correlation between the location of painful trigger points inside the pelvic floor muscles of men with chronic prostatitis and the location in the body where they routinely complain of pain.

A new treatment called the Wise-Anderson Protocol, originally developed at Stanford University in the department of Urology, treats men with chronic prostatitis in a monthly 6 day immersion clinic. It has been successful in helping to reduce the symptoms of a large majority of men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis who have not responded to any other treatment. The clinic aims to rehabilitate chronically contracted pelvic muscles and modify the tendency to tighten the pelvic muscles under stress.

It is estimated that 8 to 10% of American men suffer from prostatitis in which they have symptoms of urinary frequency, urgency, sitting pain, genital, sexual and rectal discomfort. Prostatitis is typically treated with antibiotics according to the conventional model that the source of prostatitis symptoms is an infection or inflammation in the prostate gland. Antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medications routinely fail to resolve chronic symptoms of prostatitis in well over 90% of men diagnosed with chronic prostatitis.

The Stanford article adds to mounting evidence that prostatitis (chronic pelvic pain syndrome) is a psychoneuromuscular condition in which the muscles of the pelvic floor, in response to psychological or physical stress, become chronically contracted. Once this stress causes the muscles of the pelvic floor to chronically tighten, a condition of chronic spasm and muscle contraction occurs and is fed by a cycle of tension, anxiety, pain and protective guarding. Dr. Anderson et al have published other articles in the Journal of Urology showing the efficacy of their treatment. They have written about this new treatment in the popular book A Headache in the Pelvis, now in its 5th edition.

Source: National Center for Pelvic Pain Research