Protective Effect Of Black Mulberry (Morus Nigra L.) Fruit Hydroalcoholic Extract Against Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia In Rats

Background: Finding new agents for prevention and/or treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) especially from natural sources is a demanding field.Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of black mulberry (BM) (Morus nigra) fruit hydroalcoholic extract on the establishment of BPH in rats.Materials and methods: Forty-nine adult male rats were randomly assigned into 7 equal groups: I: Sham control (SC), a sham surgery was performed. II: positive control (PC), rats were castrated and received testosterone propionate, at 10 mg/kg/day S.C. for BPH induction. III: comparative control (CC), BPH was induced and the rats received finasteride at 5 mg/kg/day P.O. IV-VII: (T1-T4): BPH was induced and the rats received BM extract at 25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg/day P.O. for 4 consecutive weeks.Results: Finasteride and/or BM extract especially at the two higher dosages, significantly affected prostate weight, prostatic index, percent of inhibition, serum and prostatic levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), antioxidant parameters of prostatic tissue as well as histopathological and histomorphometric parameters (epithelial thickness and acinar area) of prostate.Conclusions: BM extract has protective effects against experimentally-induced BPH in rats with regard to histopathological and biochemical parameters which may be related to its antioxidantas well as DHT reducing properties in prostatic tissue. (C) 2019 Asociacion Espanola de Andrologia, Medicina Sexual y Reproductiva. Published by Elsevier Espanloa, S.L.U. All rights reserved.