Evaluation of Ocimum gratissimum Leaf Extract on Lipid Profile of Experimentally-Induced Prostatic Hyperplasia Animal Model

Background: Benign Prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a highly prevalent disease among older men and a substantial public health problem. We investigated leaf extract of Ocimum gratissimum (OG) effect on lipid prolife in BPH.

Methods: BPH was induced in male rats weighing 200-300g through exogenous administration of testosterone and estradiol. Thirty (30) rats were divided into five groups. Four groups received subcutaneous injections of the two hormones and one group was used as a control with injections of hormones. Groups I to II were administered orally with different doses of extract and group III received standard drug, group IV was not treated and group V served as normal control. After Thirty-five days of treatment, the rats were sacrificed and blood collected through cardiac puncture for biochemical analysis. The prostate were harvested and weighed.

Results: In rats treated with extract and standard drug a significant decrease in the size of the enlarged prostate was observed (P<0.05) when compared with the BPH control group. Weight gain was observed in rats treated with extract and finasteride. The level of cholesterol, LDL-C and VLDL-C were significantly reduced while HDL-C increased when compared to the BPH control.

Conclusion: The significant reduction of cholesterol, LDL, VLDL-C and increase in HDL-C in the treated groups supported by decline in prostate weight suggest that the extract have the capacity of managing the lipid alterations caused by induction of BPH in rats.