title: Calcium - Magnesium imbalance implicated in benign prostatic hyperplasia and restoration by a phytotherapeutic drug - Croton membranaceus Müll.Arg.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Calcium (Ca)- magnesium (Mg) imbalance is implicated in prostate cancer. Ca/Mg ratio increases or decreases with proliferation or apoptosis, respectively. The study examined whether this Ca/Mg imbalance exists in BPH patients and the effect of a phytotherapeutic drug on the Ca/Mg ratio.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty (30) BPH patients who used the ethanolic root extract of Croton membranaceus (60 mg/day) for 3 months were examined for serum Ca, Mg, phosphate, parathyroid hormone (PTH), vitamin D, prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels and renal function tests (RFT) before (BT) and after treatment (AT) alongside thirty (30) controls. Twenty (20) trace element including Mg and Ca were determined in the drug by neutron activation analysis (NAA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  RFT, PTH and vitamin D for BT, AT and controls (C) were normal. Mean PSA was 1.0 ± 0.64 (C), 27.9 ± 19.0 (BT) and 16.2 ± 11.8 ng/mL (AT) (p = 0.002). Mg, Ca/Mg ratio BT, AT and control were significantly different (p = 0.0001, respectively). After treatment, Mg and Ca/Mg ratio were not different from controls. The prevalence of Ca/Mg imbalance was 80% (BT), 13.3% (AT) and 3.3% (control group).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ca/Mg ratio imbalance is associated with BPH. This has previously not been demonstrated. The imbalance was significantly corrected after treatment with the phytotherapeutic drug.
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana. gasare@chs.edu.gh.|Chemical Pathology Unit, Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, P.O. Box KB 143, Korle-bu, Accra, Ghana. gasare@chs.edu.gh.
authors.forename: George Awuku
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Asare
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Robert A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ngala
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Ghana Police Hospital, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Afriyie
authors.affiliation: Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
authors.forename: Samuel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Medicine, School of Medical Sciences, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nyarko
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Anang-Quartey
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana.
authors.forename: Bernice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asiedu
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana.
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doku
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana.
authors.forename: Brodrick Y
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Amoah
authors.affiliation: University of Ghana School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences (SBAHS), Korle Bu, Ghana.
authors.forename: Kennedy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bentum
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Ghana Police Hospital, Cantonments, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Iddi
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Musah
authors.affiliation: Directorate of Research, Walter Sisulu University, Mthatha, South Africa.
authors.forename: Kensese
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mossanda
mesh_terms: D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D029802:Croton / Q000737:chemistry*; D006801:Humans; D008274:Magnesium / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D015995:Prevalence; D011467:Prostate / Q000473:pathology; D011470:Prostatic Hyperplasia / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D008274:Magnesium; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Calcium; Croton membranaceus; Magnesium