Effect of Fenugreek Extract on Testosterone Propionate-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a noncancerous urinary disorder that is common in older adult men; however, its underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Fenugreek has some biological effects, including hyperglycemia regulation, immune response modulation, and anti-cancer properties; In this study, we investigated the ameliorative effects of fenugreek seed extract (Forceterone^® [FCT]) in a testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH animal model and its mechanisms in BPH-1 human prostate epithelial cells. Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were injected subcutaneously with TP (3 mg/kg) for 8 weeks to induce BPH while FCT was administered orally at 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg. In addition, BPH-1 cells were used to evaluate the inhibitory effects on cell proliferation and examine inflammatory cytokine expression. Treating rats with FCT decreased prostate weight, dihydrotestosterone (DHT) level, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) expression in the prostate. Furthermore, it decreased androgen receptor (AR), 5α-reductase 2, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and NF-κB expression in vitro and in vivo and increased Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) expression. FCT also inhibited cell proliferation dose dependently in BPH-1 cells. These findings showed the potential use of FCT as an alternative treatment for BPH.