ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the therapeutic effect of pentosan polysulfide sodium (PPS) on chronic non-bacterial prostatitis (CNP) in rats.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Based on Robinette's method, we established a CNP model in 80 male SD rats, aged 6 months and weighing 315 - 450 g, by castration followed by subcutaneous injection of estradiol at 0.25 mg / (kg x d) for 30 consecutive days. Then we randomly allocated the model rats into a placebo group (n = 40) and a PPS group (n = 40) to receive intragastric administration of normal saline and PPS, respectively. After 8 weeks of treatment, the pathological changes in the rat prostatic tissue were observed by HE staining.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Varied degrees of chronic inflammation and inflammatory cell infiltration were seen in the prostatic tissues of both groups of rats before the treatment. The inflammation was significantly improved after the treatment in the PPS group but not in the placebo group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>PPS has some therapeutic effect on CNP in the rat, and its mechanism may be associated with the abilities of PPS to repair the damaged glycosaminoglycan layer and inhibit inflammation in the prostate.</p>