• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.323-327
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• 2009

This study was to investigate the role of complementary and alternative medicine in the prevention and treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. For this purpose, a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was performed over 12 months on 47 benign prostatic hyperplasia patients with average age of 53.3 years and international prostate symptom score over 8. Subjects received either sweet potato starch (group A, placebo, 320 mg/day), pumpkin seed oil (group B, 320 mg/day), saw palmetto oil (group C, 320 mg/day) or pumpkin seed oil plus saw palmetto oil (group D, each 320 mg/day). International prostate symptom score, quality of life, serum prostate specific antigen, prostate volume and maximal urinary flow rate were measured. In groups B, C and D, the international prostate symptom score were reduced by 3 months. Quality of life score was improved after 6 months in group D, while those of groups B and C were improved after 3 months, compared to the baseline value. Serum prostate specific antigen was reduced only in group D after 3 months, but no difference was observed in prostate volume in all treatment groups. Maximal urinary flow rate were gradually improved in groups B and C, with statistical significance after 6 months in group B and after 12 months in group C. None of the parameters were significantly improved by combined treatment with pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil. From these results, it is suggested that administrations of pumpkin seed oil and saw palmetto oil are clinically safe and may be effective as complementary and alternative medicine treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.202-208
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• 2023

FT-IR, GC/MS, and ATR-FT-IR analyses were performed to confirm the physicochemical characteristics of saw palmetto fruit (SPF) extract. FT-IR analysis of the standard product showed that the band corresponding to the carbonyl bond of free fatty acid was stronger than the band of acyl-glyceride. Sample E was identified as having the same trend as the standard sample. Fatty acid composition analysis revealed that the main fatty acids in the standard sample were lauric acid and oleic acid. The content of lauric acid ranged from approximately 30% to 38% in samples B, C, D, and E, while the content of oleic acid ranged from approximately 29% to 34%. The GC/MS analysis confirmed that the standard SPF extract consisted of fatty acids and fatty acid ethyl esters. Sample E demonstrated a similar pattern to the standard samples in terms of oleic acid, lauric acid, and fatty acid esters. ATR-FT-IR analysis indicated that only sample E was predicted to contain 100% saw palmetto extract. Therefore, these study findings can be considered fundamental data for analyzing the physicochemical characteristics of the composition of SPF extract.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.1289-1297
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• 2023

In this study, NF Complex of 0%, 0.5%, 2.5%, 12.5%, and 100% was prepared by complexing and extracting Indian gooseberry, Rosa multiflora Thunberg roots, and saw palmetto fruit in a ratio of 5:1:1. The manufactured NF Complex was applied to bleached sample hair and then compared and analyzed with damaged hair. To confirm the improvement effect, tensile strength, gloss, absorbance, and brightness were measured. As a result of the measurement, the tensile strength increased. The gloss content decreased by 100%, but the remaining content increased. The change in absorbance was minimal. There was also a change in brightness, but it was minimal. It was confirmed that there is a significant difference in the average value of NF Complex, and it is judged necessary to study various ratios in the future.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.806-812
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• 2015

Prostatic inflammation plays a crucial role on benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) pathogenesis and progression. In this study, BPH was induced by testosterone propinate in castrated rats for 8 weeks. Hot water extract from Curcuma longa L. (CL) was administered orally for 4 weeks along with positive controls, saw Palmetto and finasteride. CL supplementation induced histological changes, reduced expression of TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-6, IL-$1{\beta}$, COX-2, and phospo-p65 in prostate tissue compared with the BPH group. These findings suggest that suppression of pro-inflammatory cytokines could be attributed, at least partly, to the anti-inflammatory action of C. longa, and this action may be helpful to understand the inhibitory effect of Curcuma longa L. in BPH.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.32-47
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• 2023

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) characterized by an enlarged prostate gland is common in elderly men. Corni Fructus (CF) and Schisandrae Fructus (SF) are known to have various pharmacological effects, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory efficacy of CF, SF, and their mixture (MIX) on the development of BPH using an in vivo model of testosterone-induced BPH. MATERIALS/METHODS: Six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into seven groups. To induce BPH, testosterone propionate (TP) was injected to rats except for those in the control group. Finasteride, saw palmetto (SP), CF, SF, and MIX were orally administered along with TP injection. At the end of treatment, histological changes in the prostate and the level of various biomarkers related to BPH were evaluated. RESULTS: Our results showed that BPH induced by TP led to prostate weight and histological changes. Treatment with MIX effectively improved TP-induced BPH by reducing prostate index, lumen area, epithelial thickness, and expression of BPH biomarkers such as 5α-reductase type 2, prostate-specific antigen, androgen receptor, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen compared to treatment with CF or SF alone. Moreover, MIX further reduced levels of elevated serum testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and prostate-specific antigen in BPH compared to the SP, a positive control. BPH was also improved more by MIX than by CF or SF alone. CONCLUSIONS: Based on the results, MIX is a potential natural therapeutic candidate for BPH by regulating 5α-reductase and AR signaling pathway.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.395-400
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• 2012

In this study, we analyzed the database for items reported to Korea Food and Drug Administration as for manufactured health/functional food during 2010. There were 183 health functional food products manufactured in domestic having over 2 functional ingredients (hereinafter, combinational health functional food) among total 7319 products. Among 183 products, there were 177 products having over two kinds of functional ingredient and 6 products were over 3 ingredients. The most commonly used functional ingredients in the combinational health functional food were Garcinia cambogia extracts which were used in 41 products, Octacosanol and Saw Palmetto extract. When we searched the safety information for the pair of ingredients used in combinational health functional food using several database, there were no reports for safety concern. However, as there are still safety concerns when intake various functional ingredients at once, we suggested to enforce the reporting system of adverse event in order to strength safety management of health functional food. With these complement, the safety management of health functional food might be achieved including a combinational products.