Effect of chronic prostatitis on the endocrine activity of the testes]

It was shown in experiments on rabbits that androgenopoiesis was disturbed in the testes under conditions of aseptic chronic inflammation of the prostate: against the background of a sharp reduction of testosterone and androstendion formation there was observed production and discharge into the blood of great amounts of progesterone, this being not characteristic of the incretory activity of the intact gonads. It is suggested that the search for the ways of steroidogenesis restoration in the testes under conditions of induced pathology should be directed to the activation of enzymes catalyzing the processes of progesterone transformation into 17-alpha-hydroxyprogesteron, androstendion, and testosterone.     

Efficacy and safety of a combination of sabal and urtica extract in lower urinary tract symptoms. A randomized, double-blind study versus tamsulosin

The aim of this prospective, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, multicenter clinical trial was to investigate the efficacy and safety of PRO 160/120 (Prostagutt forte), a fixed combination preparation of 160 mg Sabal fruit extract WS 1473 and 120 mg Urtica root extract WS 1031 per capsule, in comparison to the alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist tamsulosin (CAS 106463-17-6) in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). 140 elderly out-patients suffering from LUTS caused by BPH, with an initial score > or = 13 points in the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS), received 2 x 1 capsule/d PRO 160/120 or 1 x 0.4 mg/d tamsulosin and were treated for 60 weeks with interim visits at weeks 8, 16, 24, 36, and 48. The primary outcome measure for efficacy was the change in I-PSS total score, the percentage of patients with an I-PSS score < or = 7 points at endpoint ('responders') was analyzed as well. During 60 weeks of randomized treatment the I-PSS total score was reduced by a median of 9 points in both groups. In total, 32.4 % of the patients in the PRO 160/120 group and 27.9% in the tamsulosin group were responders (test for non-inferiority of PRO 160/120: p = 0.034; non-inferiority margin 10%). Both drugs were well tolerated, with one adverse event in 1514 treatment days for PRO 160/120 and one event in 1164 days for tamsulosin. The study supports non-inferiority of PRO 160/120 in comparison to tamsulosin in the treatment of LUTS caused by BPH.     

Na+-K+-ATPase is involved in the sustained ACh-induced hyperpolarization of endothelial cells from rat aorta

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase is known to attenuate endothelium-dependent relaxation in many arteries. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in the regulation of endothelial membrane potential at rest and during stimulation by ACh. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: Membrane potential was recorded from the endothelium of rat aorta using the perforated patch-clamp technique. KEY RESULTS: Superfusion with K(+)-free solution produced a depolarization of about 11 mV from the resting value of -42.9+/-0.9 mV. Reintroduction of 4.7 mM K(+) transiently hyperpolarized endothelial cells to -52.4+/-1.8 mV and the membrane potential recovered within 10 min. Ouabain 500 microM depolarized endothelium by about 11 mV and inhibited the hyperpolarization induced by K(+) reintroduction into the K(+)-free solution. However, 500 nM ouabain did not affect the resting membrane potential or the hyperpolarization induced by K(+) reintroduction. Pre-exposure to ouabain 500 microM, but not 500 nM, attenuated the sustained component of hyperpolarization to ACh without affecting the amplitude of the transient peak hyperpolarization. In K(+)-free solution, the amplitude of peak hyperpolarization to ACh was increased, while the sustained component of hyperpolarization was attenuated. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: These results indicate that electrogenic Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase partially contributes to the sustained hyperpolarization of endothelial cells from rat aorta in response to ACh. They also suggest that the alpha1, but not alpha2 or alpha3 isoforms, is involved in ACh-mediated hyperpolarization.     

Testosterone metabolism in the skin of women with hirsutism

A study was made of the endogenous testosterone (T) level in the blood plasma, the rate of T decomposition and the level of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone in the pubic skin of women with hirsutism of different genesis. As to T amounts the investigated form of androgenization can be placed in the following sequence: diencephalic form of ovarian polycystosis greater than congenital adrenogenital syndrome greater than ovarian form of polycystosis (before operation) greater than idiopathic form of hirsutism greater than ovarian form of polycystosis (after operation) greater than healthy women. The rate of T transformation into 5 alpha-dehydrotesosterone was higher but in patients with the idiopathic form of hirsutism whereas the level of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone was significantly decreased in all the patients. The highest amount of the metabolite was found in the patients with idiopathic hirsutism, the lowest in the diencephalic form of polycystosis and congenital adrenogenital syndrome. In all the investigated clinical forms of androgenization there is a reduced period of the presence of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone in the skin cells. An enhanced process of 5 alpha-dehydrotestosterone transformation into androstenediols is likely to be the most probable cause of this phenomenon. An assumption has been made as to a stimulating effect of androstenediols on the virile pattern hair growth in women.