title: Advances in the design and discovery of drugs for the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common medical problem in nearly 80% of geriatric male population severely affecting the quality of life. Several strategies has been suggested in the past for the management of BPH, but only α-blockers and 5α-reductase inhibitors are in clinical use. This review aims to give deep insight into advances in the design and discovery of newer chemical entities as 'druggable' molecule for the management of BPH.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this review, the authors cover various classes of drugs that have shown their potential for management of BPH. These drugs include α-adrenergic antagonists, 5α-reductase inhibitors, phytochemical agents, phosphodiesterase inhibitor, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone antagonists and muscarinic receptor antagonists. Literature searches were carried out using Google Scholar, SciFinder and PubMed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The exact etiology of BPH is unknown; however, several mechanisms may be involved in the progression of the disease. Beside surgery and watchful waiting, medical therapies to treat BPH include α-adrenergic antagonist and 5α-reductase inhibitors. Phytotherapeutic agents are also used in some countries. Various other chemical classes of drugs are proposed for the treatment of the disease, but none of them have reached the clinic. Many classes of drugs are currently undergoing clinical trials such as phosphodiesterase inhibitors, luteinizing hormone releasing hormone antagonists and muscarinic receptor antagonists. The current need is to develop a potent, efficacious and highly selective drug for the treatment of BPH.
authors.affiliation: University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Panjab University, Chandigarh-160014, India.
authors.forename: Rajnish
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Priyanka
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malla
authors.forename: Manoj
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kumar
mesh_terms: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D055808:Drug Discovery; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D058891:5-alpha Reductase Inhibitors; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D028321:Plant Preparations; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone