Ageratum conyzoides L. inhibits 5‐alpha‐reductase gene expression in human prostate cells and reduces symptoms of benign prostatic hypertrophy in otherwise healthy men in a double blind randomized placebo controlled clinical study

Abstract

A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial assessed the efficacy and safety of Ageratum conyzoides in treating benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). In this study, 109 men with medically diagnosed BPH, aged 41-76 years, were administered the investigational product, A. conyzoides extract at a dose of 250 mg/d or placebo, q.d. for 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), daily urinary frequency and safety evaluations. The secondary outcome measures were testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, oestradiol, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), Dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and cortisol levels, and prostate specific antigen (PSA), lipids, blood glucose, the Aging Male's Symptom (AMS) Score and sexual function assessed by Derogatis Interview for Sexual Functioning-Self Report (DISF-SR). The effect of A. conyzoides L extract on gene expression of 5-alpha-reductase in human prostate cells was also investigated to elucidate a potential mechanism of action. The clinical study, showed a significant reduction in total IPSS score (p < 0.01) and day- and night-time urinary frequency (P < 0.01) over time after treatment with A. conyzoides. Steroid hormones, SHBG, PSA levels, lipids, and blood glucose remained within healthy reference range in both groups. There were no changes in AMS or DISF-SR in either group. Gene arrays demonstrated that A. conyzoides extract was effective in reducing the expression of mRNA coding for 5-alpha-reductase types 2 and 1 in human prostate epithelial cells. The overall results indicate that A. conyzoides may be an effective treatment for reducing symptoms of BPH in healthy men, in part, through inhibition of 5-alpha-reductase enzyme activity. © 2017 BioFactors, 43(6):789-800, 2017.

Relative Influence of Ageratum conyzoides L. Plant Extracts on Testosterone Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in Mice

“…[7,28] Further it was reported that the ethyl alcohol extract of the aerial parts of Ageratum conyzoides L. was effective in reducing the expression of mRNA coding for 5α-reductase type 2 and 1 in in-vitro human prostate epithelial cell. [32] Together this study provided sufficient information regarding the beneficial effect of Ageratum conyzoides L. plant extract on the testosterone induced BPH model.…”

“…[29][30][31] Recent studies also show that ethylalcohol extract of the aerial parts of Ageratum conyzoides L. was effective in reducing the expression of mRNA coding for 5α-reductase type 2 and 1 in in-vitro human prostate epithelial cell. [32] In the prostate cell, testosterone can be converted to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) by the enzyme 5α-reductase. DHT has 5 times higher affinity for the androgen receptor in the nucleus than testosterone and excessive production of DHT with increasing aging may play a critical role in the pathogenesis of BPH.…”

Turning Waste into Beneficial Resource: Implication of Ageratum conyzoides L. in Sustainable Agriculture, Environment and Biopharma Sectors

“…In some African countries, the plant is useful in conventional medicine due to its anti-asthmatic, antispasmodic, and hemostatic properties [ 72 , 73 ]. The ACE contains numerous phytochemical compounds that may have different therapeutic activities such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antimicrobial, anticancer, etc., either from crude or tissue-specific fractions (Table 2 ) [ 8 , 9 , 74 ]. It has been also used to cure urinary and prostate-related issues in traditional practices for a long time.…”

“…The extract showed a significantly reduced human 5-α-reductase mRNA level in prostate epithelial cells. Thus, A. conyzoides could potentially be used for the treatment of BPH by decreasing the enzyme activity of 5-α-reductase [ 74 ], and can be employed after purifying the active component from ACE with subsequent clinical studies.…”

The anti-inflammatory properties of the methanolic extract of Cucumis melo Linn. against prostate enlargement in Wistar rats

“…As men age, enzymes such as aromatase and 5-alpha reductase increase in activity ( Martin and Touaibia, 2020 ). These enzymes aid in the conversion of androgen hormones to oestrogenic and dihydrotestosterone (DHT), respectively ( Detering et al, 2017 , Mohamad et al, 2018 ). As a result, the levels of testosterone decrease, while the levels of oestrogen and DHT increase ( Benrick et al, 2017 , Li et al, 2018 ).…”