The Antihyperplastic Effect of Oral Catechin Ingestion in a Rat Model of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia / 대한비뇨기과학회지

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the common diseases in elderly men. Recently, the old-aged population has increased, with the interest in the clinical importance of BPH ever growing. Catechin, an extract of green tea, has the effect of the 5-alpha reductase inhibitor. Typically, BPH has been shown to be influenced by 5-alpha reductase. Therefore, the relationship between BPH and catechin was evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An experimental prostatic hyperplasia was induced in male Wistar rats by the administration of testosterone propionate, 3mg/kg sc, for 4 weeks. The Wistar rats were divided into four experimental groups the control, BPH-induced, oral finasteride ingestion and oral catechin ingestion groups. After 4 weeks, the prostates were removed, and analyzed for their prostatic weight and histological examination. RESULTS: The prostate weights were measured in each group, and found to be 330.0+/-40.7, 970.0+/-1.1, 358.0+/-39.9 and 415.0+/-45.3mg in the control, BPH-induced, oral finasteride ingestion and oral catechin ingestion groups, respectively. The oral finasteride and catechin ingestion groups showed statistically significant decreases in their prostatic weights compared with the BPH-induced group (p0.05). Histologically injected testosterone lead to prostatic hyperplasia in rats, but oral catechin ingestion decreased this change. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that catechin may be effective in BPH, and the consumption of green tea may be effective in preventing BPH.