Abstract
Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were developed for the treatment of high blood pressure to antagonize increased angiotensin II-dependent vasoconstriction. The aim of our study was to evaluate whether irbesartan had beneficial effects on the reduction of prostate weight in a rat model of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Benign prostatic hyperplasia was induced by subcutaneous injections of testosterone enanthate for four weeks in albino rats, and rats were treated with or without oral doses of irbesartan (10,20 and 40mg/kg) for five consecutive days per week for four successive weeks during BPH induction. After 4 weeks, the protein abundance of nuclear factor kappa-B was assessed immunohistochemically in the prostate tissue taken from the different treatment groups. The irbesartan (40 mg/kg)-treated group showed a significant decrease in prostate weight, prostate index and nuclear factor kappa-B abundance compared to the non-treated BPH group. These results show that irbesartan is effective in decreasing the weight and proliferation of the prostate, and suggest that irbesartan may be an effective treatment for BPH.
Highlights
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland
Animals treated with testosterone showed a significant increase in prostate weight and prostate weight/body weight ratio by 95.8% and 146.7%, respectively compared to the control group
Prostate weights of animals treated with irbesartan (40 mg/kg) were significantly lower than those in the groups of irbesartan (10 and 20 mg/kg) (Table 1)
Summary
Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland. The incidence of BPH increases linearly with aging and it has become a generally observed major disease among older males. An estimated 50% of males show histological evidence of BPH by the age of 50 years and 80% by the age of 70 years (O’Malley et al 2009; Paolone 2010). The enlarged prostate gland interferes with the normal flow of urine resulting in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), including urinary hesitancy, frequent urination, urgency, thin urine flow and urinary retention (Roehrborn 2011; Oh 2013). These symptoms greatly affect the physical and mental health of patients, as well as their quality of life
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