Iodine Bonded with Milk Protein Inhibits Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Development in Rats

Background: There is some evidence that Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) may increase the risk of developing prostate cancer, so conducting research on effective BPH inhibitors is important. Objective: This research studied the inhibitory effect of Iodized Serum Milk Protein (ISMP) on BPH in rats. ISMP is a concentrate of lactic protein containing 2.2% iodine. Methods: Male Wistar rats, aged 18 months, were used. In the intact control group, sunflower oil was administered intragastrically by gavage. In 36 rats, BPH was induced by surgical castration, followed by subcutaneous injections of prolonged testosterone - omnadren, 25mg/kg every other day (7 administrations). One group of rats served as BPH-control. ISMP and finasteride (positive control), dissolved in sunflower oil, were administered to rats intragastrically daily at a dose of 200μg/kg and 5mg/kg, respectively, for 4 weeks starting immediately after castration. Results: ISMP inhibited the development of BPH in rats, significantly reducing the mass of the prostate and its parts (except for the anterior lobes) by 1.1-1.3 times and the prostatic index (the ratio of prostate weight to the body weight) - by 1.3-1.4 times. Finasteride inhibited the development of BPH, and its activity was higher (by 1.1-1.3 times) than in ISMP. Histological analysis of the prostate showed fewer pronounced morphological hyperplasia signs in animals treated with ISMP or finasteride. Conclusion: The iodine-containing preparation ISMP has the ability to inhibit the development of BPH in rats although its activity is somewhat lower than that of finasteride.