title: Antiproliferative effect of a polysaccharide fraction of a 20% methanolic extract of stinging nettle roots upon epithelial cells of the human prostate (LNCaP).
abstract: In Germany, plant extracts are often used in the treatment of early stages of benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH). The effects of different concentrations of the polysaccharide fraction of the 20% methanolic extract of stinging nettle roots (POLY-M) on the cellular proliferation of lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP) cells were determined by measurement of the genomic DNA content of the samples. All concentrations of POLY-M showed an inhibitory effect on the growth of the LNCaP cells during 7 days except the two lowest concentrations. The reduced proliferation of POLY-M treated LNCaP cells was significantly (p < 0.05) different from the untreated control. The inhibition was time- and concentration-dependent with the maximum suppression (50%) on day 6 and at concentrations of 1.0E-9 and 1.0E-11 mg/ml. No cytotoxic effect of POLY-M on cell proliferation was observed. The in vitro results show for the first time an antiproliferative effect of Urtica compounds on human prostatic epithelium and confirm our previous in vivo findings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Philipps University, Marburg, Germany. lichius@mailer.uni-marburg.de
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Lichius
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lenz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lindemann
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aumüller
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Konrad
mesh_terms: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002268:Carboxypeptidases / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; D006801:Humans; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D000432:Methanol; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D011467:Prostate / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000954:Antigens, Surface; D015415:Biomarkers; D002241:Carbohydrates; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002268:Carboxypeptidases; C473848:FOLH1 protein, human; D043425:Glutamate Carboxypeptidase II; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen; D000432:Methanol