The Extract of Couroupita guianensis Aubl. Ameliorates Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia In Vitro and In Vivo

 The therapeutic effects of the leaves of Couroupita guianensis , a large tropical tree in the family of Lecythidaceae improving testosterone-induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) were tested in vitro and in vivo . In BPH rats induced by castration and testosterone treatment, the prostate index was improved in groups administered with the extracts of C. guianensis extracted with 50%-, 100%-ethanol or boiling water, which was comparable with positive control, finasteride. The extract C. guianensis leaves showed significant inhibition on the expressions of type 2 5-alpha reductase (5αR) in RWPE-1 human prostatic epithelial cells, and effectively attenuated the expressions of androgen receptor, type 2 5αR and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in LNCap human prostatic adenocarcinoma cells. The leaves of C. guianensis that exerted evident suppression on BPH-related biomarkers in vitro and improvement of prostate index in vivo has a potential therapeutic use for the treatment of BPH