Functional evaluation of Tadenan on micturition and experimental prostate growth induced with exogenous dihydrotestosterone.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effect of Tadenan (TAD; Pygeum africanum extract) pretreatment on the micturition characteristics of conscious and anesthetized rats consequent to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) administration and to examine the influence of such treatment on the growth of the prostate.


METHODS
Studies using 40 adult Sprague-Dawley male rats were performed during a 7-week period. These animals were treated with DHT 1.25 mg/kg subcutaneously dissolved in peanut oil and/or TAD 100 mg/kg orally dissolved in sesame oil, except for the controls, which received vehicle only. Rats were divided into four groups: group 1 (control), vehicle only; group 2, DHT administered during weeks 3 and 4; group 3, TAD pretreatment, administered during weeks 1 and 2, followed by the combined administration of DHT and TAD during weeks 3 and 4 and TAD only during weeks 5 to 7; and group 4, continuous TAD treatment for 7 weeks. Micturition of conscious rats was evaluated in metabolic chambers, and in anesthetized rats, cystometrograms were done at the end of 7 weeks.


RESULTS
DHT or DHT plus TAD did not produce significant changes in the volume but did reduce the frequency of micturition. TAD given alone significantly increased the volume of micturition and the rate of urine production. Cystometrographic studies in anesthetized rats revealed that DHT produced micturition characteristics similar to obstruction. The DHT plus TAD and TAD pretreatment data showed no significant difference from controls, suggesting that in the presence of TAD, the effects of DHT were negated. The total prostate weight of DHT and DHT plus TAD pretreated rats increased, and in the TAD group, these values decreased to lower than controls; growth of the ventral lobes was suppressed in the presence of TAD.


CONCLUSIONS
These results demonstrate that TAD pretreatment significantly reduces the "obstructive" effects of DHT on micturition, counteracts the hormone-induced enlargement of the prostate, and reduces prostate weight in the ventral but not the dorsal lobe.
Choo
M S
MS
Department of Urology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Bellamy
F
F
Constantinou
C E
CE
D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005233:Fatty Alcohols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014554:Urination / Q000187:drug effects*; D014563:Urodynamics
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D005233:Fatty Alcohols; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D010936:Plant Extracts; C009375:Tadenan