Hexane fraction of Annona muricata (Sour sop) seed ameliorates testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

Annona muricata is used in traditional African medicine to manage urinary obstruction. In this study, we hypothesized that hexane fraction of Annona muricata (HFAM) seeds will ameliorate testosterone propionate (Tp)-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPh).Castrated rats were assigned into six groups: non-castrated control, castrated control, castrated rats that received Tp (BPh group), [BPh+HFAM], [BPh+HFAM + finasteride], [BPh + finasteride].

The BPh rats had 3.8 and 3.9 folds increases in prostatic and organo-somatic weight, while treatment with HFAM alone and [HFAM + finasteride] decreased prostatic weight by 22% and 34%, respectively. BPh increased the activities of serum and prostatic total acid phosphatase by 95% and 121%; and activities of serum and prostatic alkaline phosphatase by 54% and 281%, respectively. Serum and prostatic lipid peroxidation were increased by 44% and 82%, respectively, in BPh rats with a concomitant decrease in prostatic superoxide dismutase by 73%. In BPh rats, serum and prostatic myeloperoxidase increased by 4.0 and 2.0 folds, while serum nitric oxide increased by 2.4 folds, respectively. Strong expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, Bcl₂, beta-catenin, androgen and estrogen receptors were observed in BPh rats. Importantly, treatment with HFAM or finasteride (or combination) attenuated prostatic weight, inflammatory and antioxidant indices in BPh rats.

HFAM may serve as novel therapeutic agent against BPh.