Epilobium: Studies Show Epilobium May Inhibit Prostatic Cell Growth. Learn About The Benefits Of Using Nature’s Remedy For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).

Studies Show Epilobium May Inhibit Prostatic Cell Growth. Learn About The Benefits Of Using Nature’s Remedy For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Today, as many as 50 percent of all Australian men over 60 suffer from an enlarged prostate, a condition known as benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). As men age, the prostate gland naturally increases in size.

This condition however, can lead to severe and often painful complications as the prostate slowly compresses the urethra disrupting normal urinary flow. While BPH is not a cancerous condition, the results can still be very painful and often frightening. And if left untreated, BPH can lead to severe complications including chronic bladder infections, incontinence, impotence and severe kidney disease.

This condition however, can lead to severe and often painful complications as the prostate slowly compresses the urethra disrupting normal urinary flow. While BPH is not a cancerous condition, the results can still be very painful and often frightening. And if left untreated, BPH can lead to severe complications including chronic bladder infections, incontinence, impotence and severe kidney disease.

The traditional remedy for BPH usually starts with prescription medications including alpha-blockers such as Terazosin or Finasteride, a drug commonly used to shrink the prostate by reducing testosterone levels. As with any medications, both these drugs come with unwanted and often dangerous side effects, which is why many men are now turning to more natural remedies.

In Europe, it is customary for men with BPH to be offered the option of herbal remedies for their symptoms before being prescribed traditional medications. In fact, Germany’s Commission E recognises saw palmetto, an excellent herbal remedy, as the first-line treatment in 95 percent of BPH cases. Although certainly not a new plant, epilobium is another effective herb making strides as a powerful remedy for prostate issues.

Epilobium or willow herb as it is sometimes known, is native to Asia, Europe and North America. There are many species of willow herb so it is often referred to by a variety of different names. One such species is fireweed, so named because of its ability to rapidly colonize areas of burnt ground. In World War II, after the bombing of London, fireweed was quickly seen displaying its brilliant rose-purple flowers throughout the burned out bombsites, making an otherwise grim site quite beautiful.

Epilobium has been used for centuries as an antispasmodic for such things as hiccups, asthma and whooping cough. Ancient healers would often use the dried leaves to soothe mucous membranes. Epilobium was regularly used to treat diarrhoea, bowel problems and colitis. The North American Indians made a soup from the young plants while the French Canadians referred to the lanky herb as “asperge” or asparagus. In central Europe, epilobium has long been used as a favoured folk remedy for prostate-related issues and irregular growths.

It wasn’t until after a series of lectures by renowned Austrian herbalist Maria Treben however, that epilobium gained recognition as a viable remedy for prostate conditions. In 1991, Treben’s claims were further confirmed in an article featured in Plant Medicine. This groundbreaking study revealed the anti-inflammatory properties of epilobium were in fact 10 times more effective than indomethacin, a NSAID commonly used to inhibit the production of prostaglandins (chemical messengers produced as a result of an inflammatory response).

Research shows Dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a metabolite of testosterone is a key factor in BPH. It is also know that DHT is synthesized in the prostate by the steroid enzyme 5-Alpha Reductase (5-AR). Men diagnosed with BPH show above normal levels of 5-AR and as such, DHT. For this reason, researchers look to possible remedies that will effectively inhibit the activity of 5-AR. In May 2001, one study showed that epilobium does in fact inhibit the growth of human prostatic epithelial cells. A further study published in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology in May 2003, revealed that several species of epilobium hinder the growth of human prostate cells.

The active constituents in epilobium appear to be, among other things, two specific polyphenols, plant chemicals widely recognized to have powerful antioxidant properties. Researchers claim Oenothein A and Oenothein B are responsible for epilobium’s ability to inhibit the conversion of testosterone in the prostate by 5-AR to DHT. It is by this mechanism that researchers believe epilobium can effectively reverse BPH.

Epilobium extract also has antimicrobial properties against a number of bacteria, making this herb useful in cases of prostatitis, an inflammatory condition of the prostate commonly associated with a bacterial infection. Studies further indicate epilobium may have anti-tumour actions. One such study showed epilobium extract prolonged the life of mice by up to 158 percent, indicating epilobium may have further potential in cases of prostate cancer.

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Epilobium: Studies Show Epilobium May Inhibit Prostatic Cell Growth. Learn About The Benefits Of Using Nature’s Remedy For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH).