FAQ’s
1. What is the Prostate? What are the
likely health problems associated with it?
The prostate is a muscular, walnut-sized
gland that surrounds part of the urethra
(the tube that transports urine and sperm
out of the body) and is located beneath
the bladder and in front of the rectum.
The prostate secretes seminal fluid, a milky
substance that combines with sperm produced
in the testicles to form semen. During sexual
climax, muscles in the prostate propel this
mixture out of the body.
The upper portion of the urethra passes
through the prostate, which means that if
the gland becomes enlarged it obstructs
passage of fluid through the urethra, which
is a cause of discomfort.
2. What are
the components of Saw Palmetto berry?
There are a variety of compounds within
the Saw Palmetto berry. They are divided
into four major categories:
1) Free fatty acids: A number of
fatty acids are present in Saw Palmetto.
The ones in highest concentration include
oleic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid and
palmitic acid.
2) Phytosterols (plant sterols): Plant sterols
(phyto means plant) have a chemical structure
similar to cholesterol. The most commonly
found phytosterols in Saw Palmetto are beta-sitosterol,
campesterol, stigmasterol and cycloartenol.
3) Free fatty alcohols: These are usually
made up of fatty acids joined to an alcohol
molecule.
4) Monoglycerides: They are single fatty
acids attached to a three-carbon glycerol
molecule.
3.
How does Saw Palmetto work?
Saw Palmetto works by the reduction in
the amount of dihydrotestosterone (DHT)
in prostate tissue, inhibition of binding
of DHT to androgen receptors in prostate
cells and the anti-estrogenic action in
prostate tissue. Another possibility is
the ability of compounds within Saw Palmetto
to reduce the action of IGF-1 on prostate
tissue. Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)
action is important for prostate growth
and development, and changes in the IGF
system have been documented in BPH tissues.
Unlike Proscar (finasteride), which has
one active ingredient, Saw Palmetto has
a number of different compounds within
it.
Saw Palmetto may also be helpful before
a surgical procedure called transurethral
resection of the prostate. Pretreatment
with Saw Palmetto, before TURP procedure,
improves the efficacy of the procedure
itself and reduces the risk of complications,
in particular, preoperative bleeding and
duration of postoperative catheterization.
Saw Palmetto extract treatment modifies
bax/bcl-2 index expression and caspase-3
activity in prostatic tissue from patients
with benign prostatic hyperplasia.
J Urol. 2005 Feb;173(2):507-10.
Saw Palmetto extract increased molecular
markers involved in the apoptotic process,
i.e. the Bax-to-Bcl-2 expression ratio
and caspase-3 activity. This could have
clinical relevance due to the improvement
in symptoms produced by treatment with
Saw Palmetto extract.
4.
How does Saw Palmetto affect Benign Prostatic
Hyperplasia?
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is
a common health issue that effects 8%
of all men at the age of 40, 60% of men
in their 70s, and 90% of those greater
than 80 years of age. One-fourth of these
men will develop moderate to severe lower
urinary tract symptoms that greatly affect
their quality of life. Recent evidence
suggests that the use of Saw Palmetto
leads to improvements in urinary function
for those suffering from BPH.
The favorable comparison of Saw
Palmetto with tamsulosin, a well-known
first line agent in the treatment of urinary
tract symptoms, demonstrates promise towards
a beneficial effect of this herbal agent,
with very few, if any, adverse effects.
However, what degree of this beneficial
activity is due to placebo effects is
yet to be determined. In addition, the
precise mechanism of action of Saw Palmetto
in men with BPH remains unclear.
Serenoa repens ( Permixon(R) - Saw
Palmetto ) inhibits the 5alpha-reductase
activity of human prostate cancer cell
lines without interfering with PSA expression.
Int J Cancer. 2004 Nov 12;
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