NIS - libdoc.who.int - World Health Organization

WHO monographs on medicinal plants commonly used in the Newly Independent States (NIS)
30–45% ethanol) for the symptomatic treatment of lower urinary tract
disorders (nocturia, polyuria, dysuria, urine retention) resulting from
BPH (22, 23, 25, 26, 28–32, 34, 51, 52). One trial assessed the efficacy of
a 40% ethanol extract of the roots in 67 men with BPH. Treatment with
5 ml daily for 6 months decreased nocturia and postvoid residual volume,
but did not reduce prostate enlargement (23). In another trial, a
20% methanol extract of the roots was assessed in 89 men with BPH.
Treatment with 600 mg daily decreased the postvoid residual volume in
75% of patients after 3–24 months (25). In a study of 26 men with BPH
stage I or II, a decrease in prostate volume was observed in 54% of patients,
and a decrease in postvoid residual volume was observed in 75%
of patients, after treatment with 1200 mg methanol extract daily for
3–24 weeks (26). Ten men with BPH were treated with 30–150 drops of
a 45% ethanol extract of the root daily for 30 days. After treatment, the
postvoid residual volume decreased by 66% (29). In a study of 39 men
with BPH stages I-III, an improvement in urinary flow, and a reduction
in postvoid residual volume, nocturia and polyuria were seen in 95%
of patients after 6 months of treatment with a 20% methanol extract
(600–1200 mg daily) (51). Twenty-seven men with BPH stages I and II
were treated with a 20% methanol extract of the roots for 3.5 months.
Postvoid residual volume decreased significantly in 75% of patients
(P < 0.001), and maximum urinary flow increased significantly in 50% of
patients (P < 0.002) (52).
Three large-scale multicentre studies involving 14 033 men with BPH
assessed the efficacy of a 20% methanol extract (28, 31, 32). In one study,
a decrease in nocturia and polyuria was seen in 91% of patients after
6 months of treatment (28). In another study, a 50% decrease in nocturia
was observed in patients treated with 1200 mg extract daily for 10 weeks
(31). In the third study, significant improvements in both urinary flow
and postvoid residual volume were observed in 4480 patients treated with
600–1200 mg extract daily for 20 weeks (P < 0.01) (32).
Effects on prostate morphology
Three studies without controls examined the effect of various methanol
extracts of Radix Urticae on prostate morphology. Prostate cells were obtained
from patients with BPH by needle biopsy, and were analysed for
morphological changes before and after treatment. In two of the studies,
cells were taken from the patients at various intervals during treatment
(53, 54). In the third study, cells were obtained once from the patients, and
treatment with the extract was carried out in vitro (55). In the first study,
31 men with BPH stages I and II were treated orally with 1200 mg of a
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