Plant extracts: sense or nonsense?
Stephan Madersbacher1, Ingrid Berger, Anton Ponholzer
1Department of Urology and Andrology, Donauspital, Vienna, Austria. stephan.madersbacher@wienkav.at
Current Opinion in Urology
|December 20, 2007
Summary
Current evidence suggests plant extracts offer no significant benefit for benign prostatic enlargement symptoms. High-quality trials show saw palmetto is ineffective, and combinations provide no additional advantage over standard treatments.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Pharmacology
- Phytomedicine
Background:
- Benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) causes lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS).
- Plant extracts are widely used for BPE management.
- Evidence supporting their efficacy remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the current role of plant extracts in managing LUTS due to BPE.
- To assess the scientific validity of phytomedicines for BPE.
Main Methods:
- Review of two 2006 clinical trials meeting WHO criteria for BPH studies.
- Analysis of randomized trials comparing saw palmetto extract versus placebo.
- Evaluation of a saw palmetto/urtica combination against tamsulosin.
Main Results:
- A placebo-controlled trial found saw palmetto extract ineffective for BPE symptoms, Qmax, or postvoid residual volume.
- A combination of saw palmetto/urtica showed symptom improvement identical to tamsulosin, but lacked detailed efficacy data.
- Biological mechanisms of plant extracts in vivo are not understood.
Conclusions:
- High-quality prospective trials adhering to WHO standards are necessary to determine the role of plant extracts in LUTS management.
- Current guidelines from the American and European Associations of Urology do not recommend plant extracts for BPH.
- Further research is needed to clarify the 'sense or nonsense' of using plant extracts for BPE.
Related Concept Videos
01:24The Physiology of Taste
The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the diffusion of...
01:56Plant Hormones
Plant hormones—or phytohormones—are chemical molecules that modulate one or more physiological processes of a plant. In animals, hormones are often produced in specific glands and circulated via the circulatory system. However, plants lack hormone-producing glands.
02:35Key Elements for Plant Nutrition
Like all living organisms, plants require organic and inorganic nutrients to survive, reproduce, grow and maintain homeostasis. To identify nutrients that are essential for plant functioning, researchers have leveraged a technique called hydroponics. In hydroponic culture systems, plants are grown—without soil—in water-based solutions containing nutrients. At least 17 nutrients have been identified as essential elements required by plants. Plants acquire these elements from the atmosphere, the...
02:26Defenses Against Pathogens and Herbivores
Plants present a rich source of nutrients for many organisms, making it a target for herbivores and infectious agents. Plants, though lacking a proper immune system, have developed an array of constitutive and inducible defenses to fend off these attacks.
01:20Tonicity in Plants
Plant cells maintain appropriate osmotic balance in extreme conditions. For instance, plants in dry environments store water in vacuoles, limit the opening of their stoma, and have thick, waxy cuticles to prevent unnecessary water loss. Some species of plants that live in salty environments store salt in their roots. As a result, water osmosis occurs in the root from the surrounding soil.
Tonicity
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water depending on the solute...
Tonicity
Tonicity describes the capacity of a cell to lose or gain water depending on the solute...
01:20Taste Buds and Receptors
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...