• 보험의학회지
• /
• 제29권1호
• /
• pp.16-21
• /
• 2010

The measurement of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in screening for prostate cancer is recently performed as a routine check-up in clinical medicine and insurance medicine. Several factors may affect serum PSA levels. As prostate size increases with increasing age, the PSA concentration also rises. Increasing body mass index (BMI) is associated with a lower mean PSA concentration. Inhibitors of 5-alpha-reductase such as finasteride and dutasteride produce a 50 percent or greater decrease in serum PSA during the first three months of therapy, which persists as long as the drug is continued. Men who are regularly taking non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or acetaminophen have lower PSA levels. Emerging concepts regarding PSA testing that may help refine the interpretation of an elevated concentration include: PSA density, PSA velocity, and Free versus complexed or bound PSA. With many insurance companies, PSA level has become part of a standard battery of blood tests, along with HIV, cholesterol, liver enzymes, and other predictors of premature death. But, there is no clear proof of benefit, so we have to monitor the value of PSA test as a prostate cancer screening test in insurance medicine.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국자원식물학회 2018년도 추계학술대회
• /
• pp.31-31
• /
• 2018

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is the most common disorder in elderly men, involves androgenic hormone imbalance with chronic inflammation that causes imbalance between cell apoptosis and cell proliferation. As the root cause of the BPH remains unclear and synthetic drugs for treatment of BPH have undesirable side effects, the development of effective alternative medicines has been considered. Chinese Skullcap has been considered natural remedy to treat pyrexia, micturition disorder and inflammation. Although skullcap has effective properties on various diseases, the effects and molecular mechanism of Skullcap on BPH are not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the efficacy of Chinese Skullcap root extract (SRE) in testosterone-induced BPH rats. Compared with the untreated group, the SRE treatment group suppressed pathological alterations, such as prostate growth and increase in serum dihydrotestosterone and $5{\alpha}$-reductase levels. Furthermore, SRE significantly decreased the expression of androgen receptor and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. SRE also restored Bax/Bcl-2 balance. These effect of SRE was more prevalent than commercial $5{\alpha}$-reductase inhibitor, finasteride. Taken together, we propose that SRE suppresses abnormal androgen events in prostate tissue and inhibits the development of BPH by targeting inflammation- and apoptosis-related markers. These finding strengthens that SRE could be used as plant-based $5{\alpha}$-reductase inhibitory alternative.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• 제5권3호
• /
• pp.79-83
• /
• 2014

Three different dutasteride extraction methods were compared and a method based on liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) using methyl tert-butyl ether and methylene chloride was proved to be more effective than others for the extraction of dutasteride and finasteride, the internal standard (IS), from rat plasma. Additionally, a method composed of the LLE extraction, liquid chromatography, and multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) to target dutasteride and IS was validated by assessing specificity, linearity ($r^2$ = 0.9993, 5 - 400 ng/mL), sensitivity (the limit of detection: 4.03 ng/mL; the limit of quantitation: 12.10 ng/mL), accuracy (intra-day: 89.4 - 105.9%; inter-day: 84.9 - 100.9%), precision (intra-day: 0.8 - 6.9%; inter-day: 2.9 - 15.9%), and recovery (84.7 - 107.8%). Since the validated method was successfully applied to a pharmacokinetic study of dutasteride, it can be useful for the pharmacokinetic evaluation of newly developed dutasteride formulations.

• Natural Product Sciences
• /
• 제27권4호
• /
• pp.274-279
• /
• 2021

The therapeutic effects of the leaves of Couroupita guianensis, a large tropical tree in the family of Lecythidaceae improving testosterone-induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) were tested in vitro and in vivo. In BPH rats induced by castration and testosterone treatment, the prostate index was improved in groups administered with the extracts of C. guianensis extracted with 50%-, 100%-ethanol or boiling water, which was comparable with positive control, finasteride. The extract C. guianensis leaves showed significant inhibition on the expressions of type 2 5-alpha reductase (5αR) in RWPE-1 human prostatic epithelial cells, and effectively attenuated the expressions of androgen receptor, type 2 5αR and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in LNCap human prostatic adenocarcinoma cells. The leaves of C. guianensis that exerted evident suppression on BPH-related biomarkers in vitro and improvement of prostate index in vivo has a potential therapeutic use for the treatment of BPH.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• 제26권6호
• /
• pp.405-413
• /
• 2022

Hair loss is a common status found among people of all ages. Since the role of hair is much more related to culture and individual identity, hair loss can have a great influence on well-being and quality of life. It is a disorder that is observed in only scalp patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) or alopecia areata caused by stress or immune response abnormalities. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved therapeutic medicines such as finasteride, and minoxidil improve hair loss temporarily, but when they stop, they have a limitation in that hair loss occurs again. As an alternative strategy for improving hair growth, many studies reported that there is a relationship between the expression levels of prostaglandins (PGs) and hair growth. Four major PGs such as prostaglandin D2 (PGD2₂), prostaglandin I2 (PGI₂), prostaglandin E2 (PGE₂), and prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF_2α) are spatiotemporally expressed in hair follicles and are implicated in hair loss. This review investigated the physiological roles and pharmacological interventions of the PGs in the pathogenesis of hair loss and provided these novel insights for clinical therapeutics for patients suffering from alopecia.

• Medical Lasers
• /
• 제10권3호
• /
• pp.176-180
• /
• 2021

Several methods have been used to treat androgenetic hair loss, ranging from hair transplants to finasteride and minoxidil. Sometimes platelet-rich plasma injection therapy may be used to increase the satisfaction of patients who come to the hospital. However, some patients are sensitive to pain and are subjected to the inconvenience of requiring treatment after each blood sampling. The author had reported the effects of using a hair growth-promoting solution and Jetpeel^TM in parallel with a painless hair loss treatment method. However, the author was interested in more effective methods for patients with M-shaped or vertex hair loss who do not want to take medications or undergo hair transplant. In addition to the existing light-emitting diode therapy and electromagnetic field treatment, the author has made considered attempts to use various laser wavelength bands. However, the equipment for these methods can be expensive and are not suitable for patients who emphasize on cost-effectiveness. Therefore, the author used an existing reported method and a device based on the fractional erbium:YAG laser to provide the hair growth-promoting solution in parallel. The author chose a fractional 2940 nm-based laser device as a medium that could efficiently increase the growth phase, reduce the catagen phase, and facilitate intradermal product and drug delivery. As a result, there was a therapeutic benefit without any significant side effects such as redness and itching. Among the patients, the author reported the effects of the treatment on one patient with frontal M-shaped, mid, and vertex hair loss.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• 제47권2호
• /
• pp.140-146
• /
• 2023

In recent years, the number of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition that commonly occurs in elderly men, has increased due to aging and the adoption of western dietary habits. Treatment with chemical drugs, such as finasteride or dutasteride, can cause side effects such as erectile dysfunction or sexual problems. This necessitates the development of remedies using natural substances derived from food ingredients. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of Oxya chinensis sinuosa hot water extract (OCH) on BPH production in LNCaP cells, a hormone-dependent prostate cancer cell line. We found that the mRNA expression of androgen receptor (AR), prostate specific antigen (PSA), and, 5α-reductases 1, and 2 decreased following treatment with OCH. Furthermore, OCH treatment resulted in reduced protein expression of BPH regulators, such as AR. Collectively, these results suggest that OCH exerts a beneficial effect on BPH by inhibiting the AR signaling pathway, indicating the potential of OCH as a therapeutic agent for the prevention and treatment of BPH.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제30권2호
• /
• pp.327-337
• /
• 2009

Objective : In benign prostatic hyperplasia, dihydrotestosterone acts as a potent cellular androgen and promotes prostate growth. Inhibiting enzyme 5${\alpha}$-reductase, which is involved in the conversion of testosterone to the active form dihydrotestosterone, reduces excessive prostate growth. Recently Scutellaria baicalensis has been related reports about the effect of baicalein on anti-proliferation of the prostate gland. In this study, we investigated the effects of Scutellaria baicalensis on cytopathological alterations and expression of 5${\alpha}$-reductase in the rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia induced by castration and testosterone treatment. Methods : Sprague-Dawley rat were treated with testosterone after castration for induction of experimental benign prostatic hyperplasia, which is similar to human benign prostatic hyperplasia in histopathological profiles. Scutellaria baicalensis as an experimental specimen, and finasteride as a positive control, were administered orally. The prostates were evaluated by histopathological changes, testosterone levels, and the expression of 5${\alpha}$-reductase genes. Results : While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation, the rats treated with Scutellaria baicalensis showed a diminished range of tissue damage. In the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR) of 5${\alpha}$-reductase genes. Scutellaria baicalensis inhibited the expression of 5${\alpha}$-reductase genes. Conclusions : These findings suggest that Scutellaria baicalensis may protect glandular epithelial cells and also inhibit stromal proliferation in association with the suppression of 5${\alpha}$-reductase. From theses results, we suggest that Scutellaria baicalensis could be a useful remedy agent for treating benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• 대한한방내과학회지
• /
• 제39권4호
• /
• pp.592-604
• /
• 2018

Objectives: This study is to review the effect of Korean medicinal herbs on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia induced in rat models, as reported in domestic and foreign journals. Methods: Six electronic databases (EMBASE, PubMed, Oasis, RISS, CENTRAL, and Koreankt) were searched with terms including benign prostatic hyperplasia to identify study reports on treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia impairment with Korean medicinal herbs. After selecting several studies, the analysis focused on items reflected in the diagnosis of benign prostatic hyperplasia, such as prostate weight, thickness of the prostate epithelium, and prostate specific antigen. Results: Six studies were reviewed. Testosterone propionate was used as a benign prostatic hyperplasia induction material in all the included studies. Cinnamomum verum (CV), Cynanchum wilfordii (CW), Ponciri fructus (PF), Quisqualis indica (QI), Acorus gramineus (AG), and Melandrium firmum (MF) had reduced prostate weight statistically significantly. The QI gave a better response than finasteride in terms of reducing epithelium thickness, and the response was statistically significant. The prostate specific antigen level was lower in the group treated with CV than in the control group. Conclusions: CV, CW, PF, QI, AG, and MF had distinct therapeutic effects. However it is difficult to determine which of these is better by comparing them numerically because the observation items evaluated in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• 제7권3호
• /
• pp.172-177
• /
• 2013

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is one of the most common diseases among elderly men. As the old-age population is increasing recently, it is to our interest to observe the growing BPH within them. In BPH, the dihydrotestosterone (DHT) acts as promotes prostate growth. It inhibits enzyme $5{\alpha}$-reductase that is involved in the conversion of testosterone to the DHT activity which reduces the excessive prostate growth. Through experiments, the effects of Phellius linteus water extract performed on the BPH rats were induced by testosterone treatments. For 12 weeks, Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with testosterone for the induction of BPH. Rats were divided into four experimental groups: the not treated group (N), the testosterone injection and D.W treatment group (TN), the testosterone injection and Phellinus linteus treatment group (TP) and testosterone injection and finasteride treatment group (TF). Prostate weight, volume and weight ratio in the TP group and the TF group were significantly lower than the TN group. Testosterone and DHT levels in the TN group were significantly higher than that of the N group. And the TP group was significantly decreased than that of the TN group. While prostates of control rats revealed severe acinar gland atrophy and stromal proliferation; the TP and TF groups showed trophic symptoms and were lined by flattened epithelial cells, thus, the stromal proliferation is relatively low as compared to the TN group. These suggest that Phellinus linteus water extracts may be an useful remedy for treating the benign prostatic hyperplasia.