It not only improves urinary flow rate but also reduces the risk of acute urinary retention and the requirement for surgical intervention. Finasteride (Fi), a representative drug for BPH treatment, is one of 5AR inhibitors. Because of the different cell type and different stimulus, the activation of a MAPK signaling pathway might lead to opposite effect ( 7).Īs one of the most frequently prescribed medications for BPH patients, the 5AR inhibitor can block the conversion of testosterone into DHT. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, linking surface receptor-mediated signals to nuclear events, play key roles in the cellular proliferation, growth, and programmed cell apoptosis ( 6). Recent studies suggest that the development of BPH involves the disruption of the DHT-supported homeostasis between cell proliferation and cell death, allowing proliferative processes to predominate ( 5). Serum concentration of testosterone decreases with age, whereas the activities of 5AR and AR are increased due to androgen balance. By the action of 5α-reductase (5AR), testosterone is converted into DHT, a more potent androgen with higher affinity for the androgen receptor (AR).
Testosterone and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) are considered to be related to the development of BPH. It is characterized by hyperplasia of the mesenchymal stromal and glandular epithelial cells in the prostate ( 3).Īlthough the pathophysiological mechanism of BPH still needs to be investigated, the predominant hypothesis is age-dependent alterations in hormone ratio and age-related tissue remodeling ( 4). Patients with BPH can exhibit various lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs), including hesitancy, incomplete voiding, post-void dribbling, or irritative symptoms ( 2). As a functional food ingredient, phytosterol might be a promising candidate complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of BPH in the future.īenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) affects ~50% of men aged >50 years and ~90% in their 80s ( 1).
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