Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Mimosa Pudica on Experimentally-Induced Prostatic Hyperplasia

Adefule A K,Adelodun S.T,Adewole O S,Arayombo B.E,Bejide R A,Ojewole J A.O,Ojo S K,Olabanji I O,Salako K A

doi:10.15520/ijcrr/2018/9/02/433

Abstract

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, a non-cancerous condition of unknown etiology, is the most common prostatic disease in men globally. The present study investigated the possible ameliorative effects of aqueous extracts of Mimosa pudica on experimentally-induced prostatic hyperplasia in Wistar rats. Twenty adult, male Wistar rats weighing 120-180 g were randomly divided into four groups (A, B, C, D) of five animals each. Group A, normal control, was given corn oil only; Group B rats were hormone-treated. Groups C and D rats were hormone and extract treated, and received continuous doses of 300 μg and 80 μg of testosterone and estradiol, respectively, on alternate days for three weeks subcutaneously in the inguinal region. The extract-treated rats received an additional 400 mg/kg b. w and 800 mg/kg b. w. of M. pudica orally for another four weeks. Immediately after induction of benign prostatic hypertrophy, some animals were randomly selected and sacrificed for gross inspection of prostate enlargement, prostate specific antigen analysis (PSA) and sperm count evaluation. These procedures were repeated again after four weeks of extract treatment. The prostates were excised and processed routinely for paraffin embedding and stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). Results obtained showed significant (P<0.05) reduction in PSA levels, increase in sperm count and also a reversal of histological hyperplastic changes.

Highlights

Herbalism, which is the use of plants in the management and/or treatment of diseases, is an agelong practice which has recently shown increasing dominance in biomedicine
There was no significant difference in the weight of prostrate between normal control and treated groups
Induction of experimentally enlarged (BPH) is achieved in prostate via a form of tissue damage caused by the hormone regimen given to the animal; this enlargement is characterized by increased size which has been reported to be accompanied by small number of neutrophils which were found in the secretory cell layer within the gland and duct lumen

Summary

Introduction

Herbalism, which is the use of plants in the management and/or treatment of diseases, is an agelong practice which has recently shown increasing dominance in biomedicine. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) or Benign Prostatic Enlargement (BPE), a non-cancerous condition of unknown cause, is the most common prostate disease. It occurs in approximately 70% to 80% of men between the ages of 70 and 80 years (Dixon et al, 1999). M. pudica (“sensitive plants”) is a stout, stragling, shrubby plant with compound leaves (which get “sensitive to touch”), spinous stipules and globose, pinkish flower heads. It grows as a weed in almost all parts of tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, including Indian and Africa (Vinothapooshan and Sundar, 2010). The present study investigated the possible ameliorative effects of M. pudica on experimentally-induced prostatic hyperplasia

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Conclusion