The role of phytoandrogens for benign prostatic hyperplasia treatment

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common urological condition in aging men. High levels of androgens, including testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), are closely associated with BPH occurrence and development. Currently, the main clinical drugs used for BPH treatment are 5α-reductase inhibitors and α-receptor blockers, both of which aim to decrease abnormal androgenic signaling while having several unignored side effects. Recently, various natural herbs, such as tonifying yang traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have been found to have androgenic activities, some of which are also effective for BPH treatment. Here, we review the androgenic activities of phytoandrogens, together with their therapeutic effects in BPH, and summarize the mechanisms involved, providing evidence that such herbs serve as selective androgen receptor modulators.

Keywords

Androgen / Benign prostatic hyperplasia / Phytoandrogens / Selective androgen receptor modulators / Traditional Chinese medicine

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Funding

This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (82074105), National Key Research and Development Project of China (2021YFC1712904), and Science and Technology Program of Tianjin (22ZXGBSY00020, 21ZYJDJC00070).

Author contributions

Yaoxin Wu and Nuttapong Wichai wrote the manuscript. Xiaohua Yang and Yaxuan Ma searched for and collected the published data. Tongchuan Suo, and Lin Miao revised the manuscript. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

Ethical approval of studies and informed consent

Not applicable.

Acknowledgments

None.

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