Phytopharmaceutical and synthetic agents in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)

Summary At present, a number of plant extracts and synthetic agents are available for the drug treatment of symptomatic BPH. In Germany, phytotherapeutic agents represent the therapeutic standard in the early stages of BPH. By now, the clinical efficacy of phytopharmaceuticals has been demonstrated in placebo-controlled studies as well as in prospective long-term studies in an extensive patient population. The synthetic 5α-reductase inhibitor, finasteride, could not achieve a better therapeutic success, it clearly had higher side effect rates. The published study results indicate that the prostate volume is reduced under finasteride treatment; however, a clinically relevant improvement of micturition complaints was only observed in a third of the treated BPH patients and then after six months of treatment, at the earliest. The selective alpha-blockers represent a new, interesting approach to treatment. BPH patients which respond to the treatment with alpha-blockers experience an alleviation of their micturition symptoms in a relatively short time. The problem with this treatment option is the lowering of blood pressure by some preparations and the accompanying side effects induced by alpha-blocker administration. A comparison of the synthetic BPH therapeutic agents with the phytotherapeutic method demonstrates a high benefit-risk ratio for phytotherapy, particularly in the context of the required long-term treatment.