Common biological factors implicated in benign prostatic hyperplasia and prostate cancer, conventional and phytotherapeutic approaches employed in management: A review

Gift Crucifix Pender 1, 2, *, James H Ombaka 3, Peter G Mwitari 4 and Bernard Guyah 1

1 Department of Biomedical Sciences and Technology, School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, Kenya.
2 Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Rwanda, P.O.Box 4285, Kigali, Rwanda.
3 Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, Kenya.
4 Center for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya.
 
Review
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2024, 11(02), 049–074.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2024.11.2.0381
Publication history: 
Received on 21 January 2024; revised on 26 February 2024; accepted on 29 February 2024
 
Abstract: 
Introduction: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) and Prostate cancer (PC) are diseases affecting the prostate glands of aging men.
Objective: We reviewed common biological factors in BPH and PC, conventional and phytotherapeutic approaches employed in both conditions.
Method: PubMed, Google Scholar and Web of Science databases were used to search for information using key words, “Common biological factors in BPH and PC”, “Conventional approach used in BPH and PC”, and “Medicinal plants used in BPH and PC”. All 174 articles included in this review were from 1942 to 2023, published in English language as original articles or reviews.
Result: Inflammation, hormones and apoptosis are implicated in both conditions. Conventional interventions include watchful waiting, active surveillance, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiotherapy, advanced definitive therapies and surgery. Phytotherapy including Saw palmetto believed to inhibit type 1 and 2 isoenzymes of 5α-reductase, Prunus africana which possesses anti-inflammatory activity, inhibits synthesis of prostaglandins, aromatase and 5α-reductase activity, suppresses growth factors of the prostate and cholesterol build-up, disrupts congestion of blood vessel, reduce excessive blood, decrease prostate adenoma size, and inhibit cell proliferation in the prostate gland; Urtica dioica, Epilobolium rosmarinifolium, Vitex agnus, amongst others have reportedly demonstrated potentials against BPH and PC.
Conclusion: Researchers give more attention to PC probably because it is more life threatening, even though BPH is more predominant in males than PC. Therefore, it is worthwhile to give more attention to BPH to reduce life-threatening PC.
 
Keywords: 
Biological factors; Conventional; Phytotherapeutic; BPH; PC
                                       
 
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