Urologie pro praxi 5/2001
Úloha fytoterapie v léčbě benigní hyperplázie prostaty
The role of fytotherapy in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a common disease in men over the age of 40. We can already find histological signs of BPH in men of 30 years of age or even younger. One of the therapeutical possibilities is phytotherapeutics, the effect of which is usually based on previous empirical experiences. Although there are numerous synthetically manufactured drugs, plant extracts are still an important treatment modality and they account for approximately 15–20 % of the total expenditure for the treatment of BPH in the Czech Republic and is approximately 3–5 million Czech crowns. Although allergic reactions occur sometimes phytotherapy still has some undisputable advantages, such as fewer side-effects and a several decade history of a positive therapeutic outcome. The chemical composition has not always been elucidated and the whole pytotherpeutic, rather than the individual components, is the theraputic agent. The most important advances in the last 10 years have been those of the clinical and laboratory tests with the Pygeum africanum extract and beta-sitosterol isolation, which, in themselves, has lead to a significant decrease in the International Prostatic Symptom Score (IPSS) and an increase in the maximum urinary flow (Qmax), as measured by uroflowmetry. The pertinent question which remains is the indications for these drugs, which is a problem for every pharmacotherapy as there are some generally accepted contraindications but no indications. Key words: benign prostatic hyperplasia, pharmacotherapy, phytotherapy
