Phytotherapeutic Agents for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: An Overview

Background: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), the most common condition in aging men is the non cancerous proliferation of epithelial and stromal cells of the prostate gland and is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as frequency hesitancy urgency etc. Sources of symptoms in patient with BPH appear to be both static and dynamic component. Better understanding of the prostate physiology, function and pathogenesis has lead to the development of promising agents, useful in the management of lower urinary tract symptoms in men. Objective: Treatment of clinical BPH aims to improve symptoms, prevent urinary tract infections, avoid renal insult, relief obstruction and improve bladder emptying. Many herbal formulations, or plant derived non-nutritive compounds with protective or disease preventive properties are getting popularized worldwide for the management of BPH, especially due to long term side effects of pharmacological treatment and risk of mortality associated with surgical procedures. Phytotherapeutic preparations are plant extracts with different components obtained by different extraction procedures. Numerous mechanisms of action have been postulated for mono and combination plant extracts. Conclusion: This article give a brief account of rationale and efficacy of various existing phytotherapeutic agents in the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia, including the herbs which hold the potential promise are also mentioned, although much research is still required.