Preventive effects of D-004, a lipid extract from Cuban royal palm (Roystonea regia) fruits, on testosterone-induced prostate hyperplasia in intact and castrated rodents.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is the noncancerous, uncontrolled growth of prostate gland cells and stroma that can cause difficulty urinating. Fruit lipid extracts from saw palmetto, a palm from the Arecaceae family, are used for BPH management. The Cuban royal palm, Roystonea regia, is also a member of the Arecaceae family and therefore it was appropriate to investigate the protective effects of Roystonea regia fruit lipid extracts on prostatic hyperplasia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether D-004, a lipid extract from Roystonea regia fruits, prevented testosterone-induced PH in castrated and intact rodents. Two series of experiments were performed. The first one was conducted in castrated and intact rats, distributed into five groups of 10 rats per group. The negative control group was injected with soy oil and treated orally with vehicle, while the four testosterone-injected groups were treated with vehicle (positive control), D-004 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. The other experiment was conducted in castrated and intact mice. These were distributed into four groups of 10 mice per group: a negative control group and three testosterone-injected groups, of which one was a positive control, while two received D-004 200 and 400 mg/kg, respectively. At study completion, the rodents were sacrificed and prostates removed and weighed. D-004 at doses of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg significantly and dose-dependently prevented prostate enlargement in intact and castrated rats and mice. The percentage inhibitions obtained in mice were greater: 77% and 84% for intact and castrated mice, respectively. D-004 therapy did not affect body weight. It is concluded that D-004 administered orally significantly prevented testosterone-induced prostate enlargement in both intact and castrated rodents, indicating that an endogenous supply of testosterone is not necessary to observe such an effect The results of the present investigation support further studies of D-004 on experimental models of prostatic hyperplasia.