Effect of Prosopis africana Seed Extract on Histology and Biochemical Indices of Prostate Functions in Testosterone and Estradiol induced Enlarged Prostate in Adult Rats

Abstract: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is characterized as a slow, progressive enlargement of the prostate gland, which eventually causes obstruction and subsequent problems with urination. We investigated seed extract of Nigerian indigenous plant Prosopis africana (PA) effect on BPH. BPH was induced in male rats weighing 250-350g through exogenous administration of testosterone and estradiol. A total of 25 rats were divided into five groups. One group was used as a control and the other groups received subcutaneous injections of the two hormones. Groups 1 to 2 were treated orally with different doses of extracts and group 3 received finasteride, group 4 was left untreated and group 5 served as normal control. After forty-five days of treatment with the extract the animals were sacrificed blood collected through cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis. The prostate were harvested and processed for paraffin embedding and stained with H and E. Treatment with the extract and finasteride resulted to significant (P < 0.05) decrease in prostate specific antigen (PSA), estradiol and prolactin and testosterone when compared to BPH control. Also there was a significant increase in the protein content of the prostate when compared to BPH control. Prostate weight was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced in treated groups compared to BPH control. This was supported by the histological examination of the prostate. Therefore, Prosopis africana was effective in reducing PSA, prolactin, testosterone, estradiol and prostate weight induced BPH in a rat model, and may be useful for the clinical treatment of patients with BPH. Keywords PSA, prolactin, testosterone and estradiol and prostate