Protective effect of pine pollen fermentation broth on testosterone propionate-induced prostatic hyperplasia in rats

This study utilized a testosterone propionate-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) rat model to investigate the prostate-protective effects of pine pollen water extract and fermented broths prepared using three optimized microbial strains. Comprehensive analyses assessed prostatic histomorphology, serum hormone profiles, prostatic antioxidant capacity, inflammatory factors, and growth factor expression. Results demonstrated that all treatment groups exhibited inhibitory effects on BPH, and restored prostate-related indicators to the level of the healthy control group or close to that of the positive drug group. Correlation analysis revealed that elevated phenolic content and enhanced antioxidant capacity in fermented supernatants were mechanistically associated with multiple pathways, effectively suppressing BPH through integrated mechanisms involving hormonal regulation, oxidative stress mitigation, and modulation of growth/inflammatory factors, achieving comprehensive prostate protection. Notably, the 7-day Yeast-fermented supernatant demonstrated better antioxidant activity, bioactive component content and in vivo prostate-protective efficacy compared with water extract group. This study provides a scientific foundation for advancing pine pollen utilization in functional food through insights into its prostate-protective efficacy.