Chebulinic acid-enriched fraction ameliorates benign prostatic hyperplasia in Sprague-Dawley rats

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common problem among elderly men, characterized by neoplastic, non-malignant enlargement of the prostate, which causes its dysfunction and decreased urinary flow rate. At present, the primary medications available for managing BPH include alpha-blockers and 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors. However, these medications are usually steroids and often lead to adverse side effects. In contrast, natural therapeutic agents generally have minimal side effects, making phytomedicines promising alternatives. The present study demonstrated the therapeutic potential of chebulinic acid-enriched fraction (CAEF), extracted from Terminalia chebula fruits, for the management of BPH in the rat model. To develop this model, orchiectomy was done on Sprague–Dawley male rats, which were allowed to recover for 10 days after surgery. Subcutaneous injections of testosterone (5 mg/kg) were administered daily for 7 days to induce a BPH rat model. From the 8 th day onward, after the first testosterone injection, CAEF was administered through the oral route (100 mg/kg of body weight) to the BPH-induced group, while vehicle-operated rats served as controls. After 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment, the animals were sacrificed, where a significant reduction in the prostate index was observed. Histological observations of the prostate showed reduced epithelial thickness in the treated animals, comparable to the healthy control group. Furthermore, the most important indicator of BPH is elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA); however, in this study, PSA levels were significantly reduced in the treated animals given a daily oral dose of CAEF for 8–12 weeks. These findings indicate the potential therapeutic efficacy of CAEF as an affordable healthcare product for managing BPH.