Pumpkin seed oil and phytosterol-F can block testosterone/prazosin-induced prostate growth in rats.
BACKGROUND
This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of pumpkin seed oil alone or combined with Phytosterol-F on testosterone/prazosin-induced (T-P) prostate growth in rats.


METHODS
Forty adult Wistar rats were divided into five groups, including: one control group, rats treated with vehicle only, one group treated with T-P, and two groups of T-P-treated rats, one receiving orally pumpkin seed oil alone and one group receiving orally pumpkin seed oil combined with Phytosterol-F. Two weeks later, the prostatic weight-to-body weight ratio was determined after sacrifice. The total protein concentration was measured by using a protein assay. Some ventral prostatic tissues were histologically examined after hematoxylin-eosin staining.


RESULTS
Histological sections of the ventral prostate showed that the architecture of the prostate glands became hyperplastic in the T-P rats, but not in the control or vehicle-treated animals. As compared with the control or vehicle group, T-P rats had a significantly higher prostatic weight-to-body weight ratio for the ventral prostate (p=0.05 and p=0.007, respectively), but not for the dorsolateral prostate (p=0.53 and p=0.73, respectively). The T-P rats had significantly higher protein levels within both lobes (ventral lobe, p=0.02 and p<0.0001, respectively; dorsolateral lobe, p=0.06 and p=0.005, respectively). As compared with the T-P-alone rats, the TP rats treated with pumpkin seed oil alone or pumpkin seed oil combined with Phytosterol-F had a significantly lower weight ratio for the ventral prostate (p=0.01 and p=0.004, respectively) and significantly lower protein levels within both lobes (p=0.03 and p=0.003, respectively; p=0.007 and p=0.002, respectively). In addition, Phytosterol-F had some additive effect on the total protein synthesis within the ventral prostate (p=0.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Pumpkin seed oil alone or combined with Phytosterol-F can block the T-P-induced increases in prostatic weight-to-body weight ratio and protein synthesis.
Tsai
Yuh-Shyan
YS
Institute of Clinical Medicine, Department of Urology, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan.
Tong
Yat-Ching
YC
Cheng
Juei-Tang
JT
Lee
Chung-Ho
CH
Yang
Fu-Shan
FS
Lee
Hua-Yang
HY
D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D028464:Cucurbita; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D008297:Male; D010840:Phytosterols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011224:Prazosin / Q000633:toxicity; D011467:Prostate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development*; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012639:Seeds; D013739:Testosterone / Q000633:toxicity; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D010840:Phytosterols; D010938:Plant Oils; D028321:Plant Preparations; D013739:Testosterone; D011224:Prazosin