Saw Palmetto
CLINICAL STUDIES ON THE FOLLOWING INGREDIENTS:
Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia
Abstract
Saw palmetto (SP), a botanical extract with antiandrogenic properties, has gained commercial popularity for its purported benefits on hair regrowth. To summarize published evidence on the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of supplements containing SP in the treatment of alopecia, we conducted a PubMed, Google Scholar, and Cochrane database search using the following terms: (saw palmetto and hair loss), (saw palmetto and androgenetic alopecia), and (saw palmetto and natural supplement and alopecia). Five randomized clinical trials (RCTs) and 2 prospective cohort studies demonstrated positive effects of topical and oral supplements containing SP (100–320 mg) among patients with androgenetic alopecia (AGA) and telogen effluvium. Sixty percent improvement in overall hair quality, 27% improvement in total hair count, increased hair density in 83.3% of patients, and stabilized disease progression among 52% were noted with use of various topical and oral SP-containing supplements. SP was well tolerated and not associated with serious adverse events in alopecia patients. Although robust high-quality data are lacking, supplements containing SP may be a treatment option for patients with AGA, telogen effluvium, and self-perceived hair thinning. Further large-scale RCTs focusing on the sole contribution of SP to hair growth outcomes are needed to confirm efficacy and determine long-term adverse events.
Source: Evron E, Juhsz M, Babadjouni A, Mesinkovska N. A. Natural Hair Supplement: Friend or Foe? Saw Palmetto, a Systematic Review in Alopecia. August 23 2020.
https://doi.org/10.1159/000509905
Efficacy and Safety of Serenoa repens Extract Among Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in China: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Serenoa repens among patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (lower urinary tract symptoms/benign prostatic hyperplasia [LUTS/BPH]) in China.
Methods: We conducted a double blind, placebo-controlled study of 354 patients with LUTS/BPH from 19 institutions, to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Serenoa repens. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) into the Serenoa repens extract (320 mg) or placebo groups for 24 weeks. Primary efficacy parameters were changes in International Prostate Symptom Score and peak urinary flow from baseline to each assessment. Secondary efficacy parameters included improvement of storage symptom and voiding symptom scores, prostate volume, urinary frequency, and total prostate-specific antigen level. Other parameters assessed were quality of life score, a four-item male sexual function questionnaire score, and International Index of Erectile Function score across the consecutive double-blind visits.
Results: Statistically significant improvement in the peak urinary flow, International Prostate Symptom Score, scores of storage symptoms and voiding symptoms, quality of life score, four-item male sexual function questionnaire score, and International Index of Erectile Function score were observed in the Serenoa repens extract group compared with those in the placebo group (P <.05). Two (1.18%) of 169 patients in the placebo group and 3 (1.89) of 159 patients in the Serenoa repens extract group experienced 1 or more adverse events.
Conclusion: The Serenoa repens extract was effective, safe, well-tolerated, and clinically and statistically superior to placebo in the target LUTS/BPH population.
Source: Ye Z, Huang J, Zhou L, Chen S, Wang Z, Ma L, Wang D, Wang G, Wang S, Liang C, Qiu S, Gu X, Liu J, Weng Z, Wu C, Wei Q, Xie L, Wu W, Cheng Y, Hu J, Wang Z, Zeng X. Efficacy and Safety of Serenoa repens Extract Among Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia in China: A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled Trial. 2019 Jul. PMID: 30880074. DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2019.02.030
Saw Palmetto Fruit Extract Improves Luts in Type IIIa Prostatitis Patients
Abstract
Objective: To assess the clinical efficacy of the saw palmetto fruit extract (SPFE) in the treatment of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in patients with type ⅢA prostatitis.
Methods: This retrospective study included 54 cases of type ⅢA prostatitis treated in the Outpatient Department of our hospital from January to December 2015. The patients were aged 35.06 ± 5.85 years, with a mean disease course of 3.8 ± 2.1 years, and all received oral medication of SPFE Capsules at the dose of 320 mg qd for 12 weeks. We assessed the therapeutic effects by comparing the NIH-chronic prostatitis symptom indexes (NIH-CPSI), voiding diary, International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS), and results of urodynamic examination before and after treatment.
Results: Compared with the baseline, both NIH-CPSI and IPSS were significantly decreased after medication (27.61 ± 3.76 vs 18.6 ± 5.34, P <0.01; 20.44 ± 4.51 vs 10.96±4.62, P <0.01), and urodynamic examination and voiding diary showed dramatic post-medication improvement in the average urinary flow rate (［8.05±1.42］ vs ［12.05±2.60］ ml/s, P <0.01 ), maximum urinary flow rate (［14.22±1.74］ vs ［21.32±4.51］ ml/s, P <0.01), residual urine volume (［46.15±16.57］ vs ［14.55±10.21］ ml, P <0.01), maximum urethral closure pressure (［76.52±3.53］ vs ［65.32±4.75］ cm H2O, P <0.01), mean urinary volume (［124.63±40.55］ vs ［285.93±58.68］ ml, P <0.01), urination frequency (16.96±4.17 vs 8.96±2.50, P <0.01), and nocturia frequency (8.94±3.23 vs 3.15±1.90, P <0.01). No apparent adverse reactions were observed in any of the patients.
Conclusions: SPFE Capsules can safely and effectively improve LUTS and thus the quality of life of patients with type ⅢA prostatitis.
Keywords: low urinary tract symptoms; saw palmetto fruit extract; urodynamic examination; ⅢA prostatitis.
Source: Shao Y. P, Xue H. L, Shen B. X, Ding L. C, Chen Z. S, Wei Z. Q. Saw Palmetto Fruit Extract Improves Luts in Type IIIa Prostatitis Patients. Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210011, China. 2017 May. PMID: 29717831