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Saw Palmetto. Lacey Fishman March 3, 2008 BSCI493. http://www.herbs2000.com/images/herbs_saw_palmetto.jpg. The Miracle Plant!. All-natural alternative to Viagra! Reduces prostate size and alleviates all symptoms of BPH! Makes critical phytonutrients available to the prostate gland!
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Saw Palmetto Lacey Fishman March 3, 2008 BSCI493 http://www.herbs2000.com/images/herbs_saw_palmetto.jpg
The Miracle Plant! • All-natural alternative to Viagra! • Reduces prostate size and alleviates all symptoms of BPH! • Makes critical phytonutrients available to the prostate gland! • Reverses hair loss! • Stops unwanted hair growth! • Increases breast size in women!
Taxonomy [16] Kingdom – Plantae Phylum – Magnoliaphyta Class – Lilopsida Order – Arecales Family – Arecacea Genus – Serenoa Species – Serenoa repens L. http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SERE2&photoID=sere2_003_avp.tif http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SERE2&photoID=sere2_004_avp.tif
Botanical description [8,16] • Perennial shrub • S-L-O-W growth…only .01 inches per YEAR • Best suited to warm, moist climates • Yellow-green leaves with white flowers and black seeds • Native to South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas
Alcoholism Respiratory infections Appetite stimulant Bronchitis Dysentery Kidney disease Whooping cough Headaches Rheumatism Hemorrhoids Stomach ache Anti-inflammatory Breast atrophy Ovarian atrophy Alopecia Sexual stimulant Sperm production Prostate enlargement Testicular atrophy Hormone regulation Infertility Incontinence Urinary tract infections Diuretic Traditional Uses [4]
Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia • Non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate glad [15] • Pressure on urethra from enlarged prostate causes symptoms [15] • Frequent, difficult urination • Incomplete emptying, leading to chronic urinary tract infections • If left untreated, chronic urine retention can lead to renal failure
How does it help? • Exact method of action not known • One suggested cause of BPH is increase in androgens, especially dihydrotestosterone; may interfere with conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone and block the androgen binding sites [2] • Has been experimentally shown to discourage cell growth and encourage death of abnormal cells (apoptosis) [14]
Possible Actions • Defends prostate from androgens, including dihydrotestosterone [4] • Inhibition of 5-alpha reductase • Action on alpha adrenergic receptors • Anti-inflammatory [4] • Reduce swelling of prostate gland • Interference with growth factors [4] • Prevent abnormal growth of prostate gland
What’s in it? • The active ingredient is not known, but several are hypothesized • Acylglycerides [11] • 1-monolaurin • 1-monomyrstin • Phytosterols [13] • Campesterol • Sigmasterol • Beta-Sitosterol http://chemfinder.cambridgesoft.com/result.asp
Dosage • Many different recommendations [2,4,17] • 320 mg of liposterolic extract ~ 1g berries • If taking dried, powdered saw palmetto: • 1350-2250 mg • 540 mg • 320 mg • In addition to powders and extracts, can also be brewed into a tea • 3-5 cups of tea daily
Side Effects [4,5,7,12] • Constipation • Diarrhea • Nausea • Breast swelling and tenderness • Decreased libido • All side effects supposed to be “mild, infrequent, and readily reversible”
Contraindications • Should not be used by alcoholics, as it can induce cholestatic hepatitis or acute pancreatitis. [6]
Adulterants • Unripe Saw Palmetto berries [3] • Mature berries are harvested in the fall, at the end of the growing season • Immature berries sometimes harvested and sold before the main harvest of berries is ripe • Concentrations of possible active ingredients has not been quantified in unripe berries; ripe and unripe berries have different chemical compositions and unripe berries may not be medicinally useful
How well does it work? • According to the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: • “Several small studies suggest that saw palmetto may be effective for treating BPH symptoms.” [7] • “In 2006, a large study of 225 men with moderate-to-severe BPH found no improvement with 320 mg saw palmetto daily for 1 year versus placebo.” [7]
How well does it work? • According to Chemist & Druggist Magazine: • “S. repens significantly improves urologic symptoms and flow measures compared with placebo.”[4] • “Numerous uncontrolled trials…essentially corroborate the clinical effectiveness and safety in this condition.”[4]
How well does it work? • According to Science News Magazine [10]: • “In the Feb. 9 New England Journal of Medicine, scientists report that 112 men with BPH who took two capsules of saw palmetto extract daily for a year still had symptoms similar to those reported by 113 men with BPH who took inert capsules.” • “Saw Palmetto flunks prostate exam.”
How well does it work? • We don’t really know! • Studies show varied results; some say that it is markedly more effective than other treatments, some say that it is no more effective than a placebo. • Could be due to variations in length of clinical trials, variations in amount of saw palmetto given in each trial, and variations in purity/contents of herbal supplement
Bibliography • Beta sitosterol. (2008). Retrieved February 27, 2008 from <<http://chemfinder.cambridgesoft.com/result.asp>> • Brown, G., Vukovich, M., Martini, E., Kohut, M., Franke, W., Jackson, D., & King, D. (Sept 2001). Effects of androstenedione-herbal supplementation on serum sex hormone concentrations in 30- to 59-year-old men. International Journal for Vitamin and Nutrition Research. 71(5), p. 293-301. • Cavaliere, C. (Jan 2008). Drought Reduces 2007 Saw Palmetto Harvest. Herbalgram. 77(1). p.56-57 • Ernst, Edzard. (Feb 2003). Nature’s healer: saw palmetto. Chemist & Druggist, p. 21-22 • Helmer, J. (June 2006). Saw Palmetto: Find out how this dwarf plant may help stop prostate enlargement. Better Nutrition. p.12 • Jibrin, I., Erinle, A., Saidi, A., & Aliyu, Z. (2006, June). Saw Palmetto-induced Pancreatitis. Southern Medical Journal, 99(6), 611-612. Retrieved February 28, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database.
Bibliography • (May 2006). Saw palmetto; drug overview. Pamphlet by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, p.1 • Ohr, L. (Jan 2003). Botanically speaking. Food Technology. v 57(1), p. 65-67, 89. • The Saw Palmetto Harvesting Company. (2008). Retrieved February 10, 2008 from <<http://www.sawpalmetto.com/>> • Seppa, N. (2006, February 25). Saw palmetto flunks prostate exam. Science News, 169(8), 126-126. Retrieved February 27, 2008, from Academic Search Premier database. • Shimada, H., Tyler, V., & McLaughlin, J. (Apr 1997). Biologically active acylglycerides from the berries of saw-palmetto (Serenoa repens). Journal of Natural Products. 60(4), p. 417-418 • Sikov, Lopatkin et al. (Jan 2008). Clinical Trial Follow-up Evaluates Safety and Effectiveness of Saw Palmetto and Stinging Nettle Extracts in Men with BPH. Herbalgram. 77(1), p. 31
Bibliography • Sorenson, W., & Sullivan, D. (2007 May-June). Determination of Campesterol, Stigmasterol, and Beta-Sitosterol in Saw Palmetto Raw Materials and Dietary Supplements by Gas Chromatography: Collaborative Study. Journal of AOAC International. 90(3), p. 670-678. • Tanner, G.(July 1996). Saw-palmetto: an Ecologically and Economically Important Native Palm. IFAS Extension. p.1-4. • Thorpe, A. (April 2003). Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. The Lancet. 9366(361). p. 1359-1352 • USDA, NRCS. 2002. The PLANTS Database, Version 3.5 (http://plants.usda.gov). National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, LA 70874-4490 USA. • The Whole Truth: Prostate 5LX.(2008). Retrieved February 10, 2008 from <<http://www.newchapter.com/products/prostate-5lx>>