Abstract:
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a chronic male disease characterized by the enlarged prostate.
Celtis choseniana Nakai (
C. choseniana) is medicinally used to alleviate pain, gastric disease, and lung abscess. In this study, the effect of
C. choseniana extract on BPH was investigated using testosterone-induced rats. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into five groups: control, BPH (testosterone 5 mg·kg
−1), Fina (finasteride 2 mg·kg
−1), and
C. choseniana (50 and 100 mg·kg
−1). After four weeks of TP treatment with finasteride or
C. choseniana, prostate weights and DHT levels were measured. In addition, the prostates were histopathologically examined and measured for protein kinase B (Akt)/nuclear factor-
κB (NF-
κB)/AR signaling, proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. Prostate weight and epithelial thickness were reduced in the
C. choseniana groups compared with that in the BPH group. The extract of
C. choseniana acted as a 5
α reductase inhibitor, reducing DHT levels in the prostate. Furthermore, the extract of
C. choseniana blocked the activation of p-Akt, nuclear NF-
κB activation and reduced the expression of AR and PSA compared with BPH. Moreover, the expression of Bax, PARP-1, and p53 increased, while the expression of bcl-2 decreased. The present study demonstrated that
C. choseniana extract alleviated testosterone-induced BPH by suppressing 5
α reductase and Akt/NF-
κB activation, reducing AR signaling and inducing apoptosis and autophagy in the prostate. These results suggested that
C. choseniana probably contain potential herbal agents to alleviate BPH.