RESUMO
<i>Objective</i>: Anti-androgenic action of porcine placenta extracts were investigated.<br> <i>Methods</i>: To determine if porcine placenta extracts can inhibit androgen-stimulated growth of LNCaP cells, a dose response assay was performed. LNCaP cells were treated with varying concentrations of porcine placenta extracts with or without dihydrotestosterone.<br> A castrated rat was used to study influence of an exogenous androgen.<br> <i>Results</i>: Porcine placenta extracts-treated cells showed a statically significant decrease in cell number, indicating decreased cell growth.<br> The secretion of PSA(prostate specific antigen) was determined by ELISA. It was also inhibited in the presence of porcine placenta extracts and dihydrotestosterone.<br> Immunoblotting detected decreases in androgen receptor protein after treatment with the porcine placenta extracts.<br> In vivo studies in a castrated rat showed that enlargement of the prostate by testosterone was inhibited by porcine placenta extracts.<br> <i>Conclution</i>: These results suggest that porcine placenta extracts contain a substance with anti-androgenic actions.<br>