Assessing the Safety of Combined Therapy, Croton membranaceus and Tamsulosin, in the Self-Prescribed Treatment Protocol for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

TL;DR

This study tested the safety of combining a herbal extract and a drug for prostate enlargement in rats, finding no extra benefit from the combination.

Contribution

The study evaluates the safety and efficacy of combining Croton membranaceus and tamsulosin for BPH treatment in an animal model.

Findings

The combination of low-dose CM and tamsulosin reduced PSA levels compared to the control group.

Higher doses of CM combined with tamsulosin caused structural changes in prostate acini with reduced activity.

Relative organ weights were found to be a better evaluation metric than total organ weights for BPH treatment assessment.

Abstract

Background: The safety of combining tamsulosin (an allopathic drug) and Croton membranaceus aqueous extract, a medicinal plant for managing benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), was investigated.

Methods: The roots of CM were used and processed into a water extract by maceration and decoction. Thirty-five Sprague Dawley rats were divided into seven groups of five rats each. Groups 2–7 were orchidectomy/testosterone injections BPH-induced. Group 1 was designated as the control group. Group 2 was designated as the model group (untreated). Group 3 was treated with 0.03 mg/kg b.wt. of tamsulosin. Group 4 received 30 mg/kg b.wt. of CM (low dose [LD]). Group 5 received 300 mg/kg b.wt. of CM (high dose [HD]); Group 6 received 0.03 mg/kg b.wt. of tamsulosin plus 30 mg/kg b.wt. of CM. Group 7 received 0.03 mg/kg b.wt. plus 300 mg/kg b.wt. of CM. Tamsulosin and CM were administered by oral gavage for 28 days. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, renal and liver function tests, and histology were assessed.

Results: PSA decreased after treatment with LD CM (0.44 ± 0.03 ng/mL) and tamsulosin (0.43 ± 0.04 ng/mL) combined, compared with the control group (0.63 ± 0.03 ng/mL) (p < 0.006). Prostate gland/accessory organ weights were as follows: tamsulosin < CM LD < CM HD/T < CM LD/T < CM HD < model. In the CM LD/T group, the acini appeared empty and the acini fluid contained fatty droplets with a slender outer boundary that had very little active mucous surface. At a higher dose, CM HD/T caused a reduction in the sizes and shapes of active acini with most being empty and having little active mucous surfaces.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the combination of C. membranaceus and tamsulosin does not provide additional therapeutic benefits for treating BPH. Relative organ weights provide a better evaluation metric than total organ weights.

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