Phytochemicals With Anti 5-alpha-reductase Activity: A Prospective For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer (CaP) is one of the leading causes of death in men worldwide. Much attention has been given on its prevention and treatment strategies, including targeting the regulation of 5-alpha-Reductase (5αR) enzyme activity, aimed to limit the progression of CaP by inhibiting the conversion of potent androgen dihydrotestosterone from testosterone that is thought to play a role in pathogenesis of CaP, by using the 5-alpha-Reductase inhibitors (5αRis) such as finasteride and dutasteride. However, 5αRis are reported to exhibit numerous adverse side effects, for instance erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and loss of libido. This has led to a surge of interest on plant-derived alternatives that might offer favourable side effects and less toxic profiles. Phytochemicals from plants are shown to exhibit numerous medicinal properties in various studies targeting many major illnesses including CaP. Therefore, in this review, we aim to discuss the use of phytochemicals namely phytosterols, polyphenols and fatty acids, found in various plants with proven anti-CaP properties, as an alternative herbal CaP medicines as well as to outline their inhibitory activities on 5αRs isozymes based on their structural similarities with current 5αRis as part of CaP treatment approaches.

Phytochemicals With Anti 5-alpha-reductase Activity: A Prospective For Prostate Cancer Treatment

Prostate cancer (CaP) is one of the leading causes of death in men worldwide. Much attention has been given on its prevention and treatment strategies, including targeting the regulation of 5-alpha-Reductase (5αR) enzyme activity, aimed to limit the progression of CaP by inhibiting the conversion of potent androgen dihydrotestosterone from testosterone that is thought to play a role in pathogenesis of CaP, by using the 5-alpha-Reductase inhibitors (5αRis) such as finasteride and dutasteride. However, 5αRis are reported to exhibit numerous adverse side effects, for instance erectile dysfunction, ejaculatory dysfunction and loss of libido. This has led to a surge of interests on plant-derived alternatives that might offer favourable side effects and less toxic profiles. Phytochemicals from plants are shown to exhibit numerous medicinal properties in various studies targeting many major illnesses including CaP. Therefore, in this review, we aim to discuss on the use of phytochemicals namely phytosterols, polyphenols and fatty acids, found in various plants with proven anti-CaP properties, as an alternative herbal CaP medicines as well as to outline their inhibitory activities on 5αRs isozymes based on their structural similarities with current 5αRis as part of CaP treatment approaches.

Systematic review and meta-analysis for the value of thyroid disorder screening in men with ejaculatory dysfunction

Objective: To demonstrate evidence from available clinical studies to clarify the scientific points that have been achieved in relation to thyroid disorders and ejaculatory dysfunction. Data sources: Clinical trial articles published in English on Medline. Eligibility criteria: Clinical studies that investigated the association of thyroid disorders with the ejaculatory function of subjects and the trials evaluating the effect of thyroid dysfunction treatment on the ejaculatory function of the subjects were eligible. Synthesis methods: We searched Medline with “ejaculation” and different combinations of “thyroid,” “serum TSH,” “serum T3,” “serum T4” keywords in PubMed. Results: Standardized mean serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels in premature ejaculation (PE) sufferers differed from non-PE control subjects (p=.05). Hyperthyroidism was associated with increased odds among PE subjects (OR=2.0, p=.03). Delayed ejaculation was seen with increased odds in hypothyroid patients compared with hyperthyroidism patients (OR=57, p=.0001). Serum TSH and mean intra-vaginal ejaculation latency time (IELT) of the subjects showed a correlation both before and after treatment for thyroid disorder. Treatment of thyroid disorders improved the mean IELT measures of the subjects. The overall estimate of the effect of hyperthyroidism treatment on mean IELT was .64 (p=.0001) in the random-effects model. Limitations: The low quality and quantity of evidence from available studies limited the interpretation of our study findings. Conclusions: The causal relationship between ejaculatory dysfunction and thyroid disorders remains to be clarified. Sufferers of delayed ejaculation acquired PE subjects, and PE sufferers who have accompanying erectile dysfunction and/or anxiety may benefit from thyroid disorder investigation.