Food Chem Toxicol. 2017 Dec 14;111:650-659. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.12.017. [Epub ahead of print]

Chrysin attenuates testosterone-induced benign prostate hyperplasia in rats.

Shoieb SM1, Esmat A1, Khalifa AE1, Abdel-Naim AB2.

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Abstract

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common age-related health problem affecting almost 3 out of 4 men in their sixties. Chrysin is a dietary phytoestrogen found naturally in bee propolis and various plant extracts. It possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative properties. The current study was conducted to explore the role chrysin plays in protection against testosterone-induced BPH in rats. On grounds of a preliminary experiment, a dose of chrysin (50 mg/kg) was chosen for further investigation. Testosterone significantly depleted glutathione, suppressed superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, and elevated lipid peroxidation. Moreover, it markedly scaled down the level of cleaved caspase-3 enzyme, reduced Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and mRNA expression of p53 and p21; conversely, protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen was enhanced. Chrysin alleviated testosterone-induced oxidative stress and restored cleaved caspase-3 level, Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and mRNA expression of p53 and p21 to almost control levels. Chrysin prevented the increase in binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit, mRNA expression of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R). These data highlight the protective role of chrysin against experimentally-induced BPH. This is attributed – at least partly – to its antioxidant, antiproliferative and proapoptotic properties.

PMID: 29247772 DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.12.017

 

* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.