PROSTATIC ENLARGMENT AND INFLAMMATION

A MODEL FOR BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH) AND PROSTATITIS

Prostate hyperplasia is induced by hyperprolactinemia.

Prostatic enlargement is produced exclusively in the lateral lobe of the rat prostate. This lobe is considered to be homologous to the transitional zone where human benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) occurs.

Inflammation of intraprostatic glands is also observed in analogy with humans.
 

Rat

• This model is suitable for testing compounds for the treatment of BPH.
• The 5α-reductase inhibitor finasteride and the extract from Serenoa Repens, Permixon® are active in this model and can be used as reference substances.
   

• Hyperprolactinemia is induced by a 30 day administration of sulpiride at 40 mg/kg i.p.
• Test compounds can be administered daily by gavage or subcutaneously through osmotic pumps simultaneously with sulpiride treatment.  

• Body weight throughout the experiment
• Weight of lateral (LP), dorsal and ventral prostate lobes
• Ratio of LP weight / body weight
• Histomorphometric analysis
• Apoptosis (TUNEL)
• Proliferation (PCNA)
• Myeloperoxidase activity

• Price D, Natl Inst Cancer Monograf 12: 351-69, 1963
• Van Coppenolle F et al, Prostate 43: 49-58, 2000