THE SELECTIVITY AND SPECIFICITY OF THE ACTIONS OF THE LIPIDO-STEROLIC EXTRACT OF SERENOA REPENS (PERMIXON®) ON THE PROSTATE

Purpose: To investigate the effects of the phytotherapeutic agent, Permixon®, on primary cultures of fibroblast and epithelial cells from the prostate, epididymis, testes, kidney, skin and breast and to determine the selectivity and specificity of the action of the drug.Materials and Methods: All primary cultures were examined by electron microscopy before and following treatment with Permixon® (10 μg./ml.). In addition the apoptotic index was assessed by flow cytometry employing propidium iodide as a fluorophore. The impact of the drug on 5α-reductase (5αR) isoenzymes was also tested utilizing a pH specific assay.Results: There were changes in the morphology of prostate cells after treatment including accumulation of lipid in the cytoplasm and damage to the nuclear and mitochondrial membranes; no similar changes were observed in other cells. Permixon® increased the apoptotic index for prostate epithelial cells by 35% and 12% in the prostate stromal/fibroblast. A lesser apoptotic effect was demonstrated i...