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Symptomatic benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in elderly men and has a
significant impact on their daily lives. The drugs prescribed for treatment include alpha1-blockers,
5-alpha-reductase inhibitors and plant preparations. Epilobium angustifolium L. is deemed to be
helpful in BPH therapy, although there is less information regarding the mechanism of its biological
activity. The present study evaluated the effect of E. angustifolium extract on human prostatic
epithelial cells (PZ-HPV-7). The exposure to E. angustifolium extract induced a marked inhibition
of cell growth in all tested conditions. The anti-proliferative effect observed in in-vitro systems
clearly indicates a biologically relevant effect of compounds present in the extract.
Considering these results, the use in traditional medicine of E. angustifolium extract against BPH
seems to be justified. However, further experimental studies are needed to determine the
biochemical mechanism of the action and the clinical value of the E. angustifolium extract.
PMID: 11482783 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Preliminary “in vitro” studies at the Prostate Center of Vancouver found that very low
concentrations of an extract from small-flowered willow herb tea, in the micrograms per ml level,
was among the most active ever seen against abnormal cells and growths of the prostate.
Several extracts from Epilobium parviflorum, were evaluated in biochemical assays with
5-alpha-reductase and aromatase, two enzymes involved in the etiology of benign prostatic
hyperplasia (BPH). Aqueous extracts displayed inhibition of these enzymes and the active
compounds identified were macrocyclic ellagitannins, oenothein A1, B1 and B2, which can make
up to 14% of crude plant extracts. Out of a total of 92 plant phenolic extracts tested, small-flowered
willow herb was also found to have high antioxidant activity. Small-flowered willow herb tea is also
recommended for treating urinary tract infections in women. In one study, both the large-flowered
willow herb Epilobium angustifolium and small-flowered willow herb E. Parviflorum were found to
reduce inflammatory prostaglandins in the carrageenin-induced rat paw edema test; in this study.
[Ducrey B, Marston A, Gohring S, Hartmann RW, Hostettmann K.1997. Inhibition of 5
alpha-reductase and aromatase by the ellagitannins oenothein A and oenothein B from
Epilobium species. Planta Med 1997 Apr; 63(2): 111-4].
Acta Physiol Pharmacol Bulg. 1991;17(4):50-2.
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