A phytosterol enriched refined extract of Brassica campestris L. pollen significantly improves benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in a rat model as compared to the classical TCM pollen preparation Qianlie Kang Pule'an Tablets

In Qinghai Province, the Brassica campestris L. pollen preparation Qianlie Kang Pule'an Tablet (QKPT) is traditionally used for BPH therapy. However, in QKPT the content of supposedly active phytosterols is relatively low at 2.59%, necessitating high doses for successful therapy. Therefore, a phytosterol enriched (4.54%) refined extract of B. campestris pollen (PE) was developed and compared with QKPT in a BPH rat model. Six groups of rats (n = 8 each), namely sham-operated distilled water control, castrated distilled water control, castrated QKPT 2.0 g/kg, castrated PE 0.1 g/kg, castrated PE 0.2 g/kg, and castrated PE 0.4 g/kg, were intragastrically treated with the respective daily doses. Testosterone propionate (0.3 mg/day) was administered to all castrated rats, while the sham-operated group received placebo injections. After 30 days, the animals were sacrificed and prostates as well as seminal vesicles excised and weighted in order to calculate prostate volume index (PVI) as well as prostate index (PI) and seminal vesicle index (SVI), defined as organ weight in g per 100 g body weight. Compared with sham-operated controls, PI (p < 0.01), PVI (p < 0.01), and SVI (p < 0.01) were all significantly increased in all castrated, testosterone treated rats. After treatment with PE at 0.4 and 0.2 g/kg or QKPT at 2.0 g/kg per day, both indices were significantly reduced (p < 0.01) as compared to the castrated distilled water control. For PE at 0.1 g/kg per day only PI was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). At the highest PE concentration of 0.4 g/kg per day both PI and SVI were also significantly reduced when compared to the QKPT group (p < 0.05). Both PE and QKPT demonstrated curative effects against BPH in the applied animal model. In its highest dose at 0.4 g/kg per day, PE was clearly superior to QKPT.