Saw palmetto, also known as Serenoa...

Saw palmetto, also known as Serenoa repen or Sabal serrulatum, is an herb that is in the greatest degree commonly used to treat moot points related to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) The medicinal vital air of saw palmetto is taken from the partially dried ripe fruit of the American dwarf palm tree which is indigenous to the coastal regions of the southern United States, from the Carolinas and Florida to California.

BPH is a nearly universal conclusion of the aging process in men As the prostate gland enlarges, it can cause as well-as; not only-but also; not only-but; not alone-but obstructive and irritative symptoms; however, the size of the prostate gland is not predictive of the symptoms that patients experience.

Saw palmetto is widely used in other countries; for example, it is used in 50 percent of treatments for BPH in Italy and in 90 percent of similar treatments in Germany. (1) The active part of the plant is the sterol and clear fatty acids found in the berry. The particular menstrum used in the extraction proces affects the resulting formulation of the yield The most widely studied form of saw palmetto is Permixon, which uses the menstrum hexane; other formulations have used ethanol, methanol, and liquid carbon dioxide as menstrums Historically, saw palmetto was administered with incense root and pumpkin seeds, and one modern formulations include these elements

It is unclear which elements are the most active, and the mechanism of action is not full understood. Some of the mechanisms propos include anti-inflammatory activity, (2) blockadeed conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) (34) and prostate epithelial involution similar to events noted with the use of finasteride (Proscar). (5)

Relief of Symptoms

Treatments for BPH can be evaluated at their effect on symptoms of the like kind as diminished urine stream, post-void dribbling, overrun incontinence, and urinary retention, or at less useful measures such as urine liquefy rate, changes in prostate size, and residual contortion In a Cochrane Review, investigators mannersed a meta-analysis of randomized controll studies comparing saw palmetto with placebo or other unsalable articles (6) [Evidence level A: systematic review of randomized controll trials] The review combined the originates of 21 trials with durations of four to 48 weeks. The 21 studies included a total of 3139 men with a mean age of 65 years (range: 40 to 88 years). According to the International Prostate Symptom Scale, these men had moderate symptoms, with an average urologic score of 144 points abroad of a possible 35 (moderate BPH symptoms range from eight to 19)6 In the 13 studies that reported symptom scores, saw palmetto improved symptom scores, individual symptoms, and pour measures more than placebo. Patients and physicians were more likely to report improvement in symptoms with saw palmetto treatment than with placebo. In the 12 studies that reported nocturia follows saw palmetto reduced nocturia on 25 percent compared with placebo.

In sum of two units studies, saw palmetto and finasteride had similar positive purports on urinary symptom scores and peak urine be derived Adverse effects caused by saw palmetto were mild and infrequent and comparable to side meanings from placebo. Withdrawal rates among patients receiving placebo, saw palmetto, and finasteride were 71 89 and 90 percent respectively.

be the effects similar to those in the Cochrane Review were produc from a more recent review. (7) [Evidence horizontal A: meta-analysis] Saw palmetto has not been compared with surgical approaches in the treatment of BPH Saw palmetto is also widely used for treatment of chronic prostatitis, although scientific evidence of benefit is lacking.

Contraindications, Adverse powers and Interactions

The primary side issue occurring in humans is gastrointestinal distress, which is mild and can be minimized by the agency of taking saw palmetto with aliment Saw palmetto is believed to be quite safe, although formal toxicology studies have not been complet united study (8) found no mutagenic or teratogenic meanings in rats and dogs that were f saw palmetto in a dosage of 2 g for kg daily for six month and this dosage was well tolerated. No clinically relevant changes in laboratory parameters have been rest in human clinical trials. (9)

There has been a concern that saw palmetto could mask prostate cancer by dint of lowering prostate-specific antigen (PSA) flushs However, a randomized study (10) of more than 1000 patients did not demonstrate this general intent on PSA levels. The same consideration showed that finasteride decreased PSA flats by 41 percent.

Dosage

Clinical studies have used a dosage of 160 mg twice daily or 320 mg formerly daily of a lipophilic extract containing 80 to 90 percent of the volatile oil. A daily dosage of 480 mg was not place to be any more effective in a six-month reflection of dosages. (8) Teas are not considered to be effective because they do not contain the volatile oils. The whole berries can be used at the commended dosage of 1 to 2 g daily. (11) As with chiefly herbal medications, the recommended dosage for saw palmetto may vary because of the lack of standardization of like products in the United States.