VITAMIN D AND SAW PALMETTO FRUIT EXTRACT IN EXPERIMENTAL PROSTATE PATHOLOGY

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is a serious problem that significantly reduces the quality of life of men, so the search for new prostatoprotectors is highly relevant.The aim: to evaluate the effect of vitamin D and saw palmetto fruit extract on prostate mass, sex hormone levels, and sexual behavior under experimental conditions of prostate pathology.Materials and methods. Prostate pathology was induced by administration of sulpiride solution at a dose of 40 mg/kg b.w. to 12-month-old male rats for 30 days (BPH group). For correction, the following treatments were administered for 21 days per os: vitamin D3 at a dose of 4000 IU (BPH+vit.D group); Sabal palm fruit extract at a dose of 35 mg/kg b.w. (BPH+Ref group); or vitamin D3 and Sabal palm fruit extract at the same doses (BPH+vit.D+Ref group) were administered together. Sexual behavior, genital organ mass, and serum testosterone (T) and estradiol (E2) levels were determined. The probability of differences in mean values was determined by Student's t test. The χ2 test was used for comparative analysis of relative values. Differences were considered significant at p < 0.05.Results. In the BPH group, the prostate mass increased, and in the BPH+Vit.D+Ref group, the organ mass normalized. Serum total T levels in the BPH group decreased by 1.66 times, and the T/E2 ratio was 1.53 times lower than in the control group. When using corrective substances, the T concentration normalized. The T/E2 ratio increased by 1.5 times. In the BPH group, both the courtship and copulatory components of sexual behavior were impaired, and no male in this group ejaculated. In the BPH+Ref group, the latency period for the onset of mounts (by 2.7 times) and intromissions (by 1.7 times) decreased, the number of courtship behaviors decreased by 1.9 times, compared to the BPH group. In animals in the BPH+vit.D+Ref group, the latency period for mounts decreased by 3.3 times, intromissions - by 4.4 times, the number of mounts and intromissions increased by 2.2 and 2.9 times compared to the BPH group. Ejaculations were recorded in 40% of males in this group.Conclusions. Experimental sulpiride-induced prostatic hyperplasia is accompanied by an increase in the mass of prostate, an imbalance of hormonal ratios, and suppression of sexual behavior parameters. The combined use of vitamin D and saw palmetto fruit extract corrects BPH, promotes normalization of prostate mass, an increase in testosterone levels, and restores the ratio of sex hormones, and improves both the courtship and copulatory components of the sexual behavior in rats.