Pygeum's therapeutic uses
Pygeum is a natural plant extract derived from the bark of the pygeum tree, native to Central and Southern Africa, and is primarily used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a condition characterized by prostate enlargement. Its therapeutic applications extend to various other health issues, including prostatitis, impotence, male infertility, and potentially kidney health, though evidence for these uses is less robust. Traditionally, pygeum has also been employed in the treatment of malaria and fever, but modern scientific validation for these uses is lacking.
The typical dosage for pygeum is around 50 mg taken twice daily, with some studies suggesting a single 100 mg dose may be equally effective. Evidence from multiple trials indicates that pygeum can alleviate symptoms associated with BPH, such as frequent urination at night and urinary incontinence. Despite its benefits, the tree has faced ecological challenges due to overharvesting, raising concerns about its sustainability. Overall, while pygeum shows promise for certain urinary conditions, further research is necessary to fully establish its efficacy and safety across various applications.
Pygeum's therapeutic uses
DEFINITION: Natural plant product used to treat specific health conditions.
PRINCIPAL PROPOSED USE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia
OTHER PROPOSED USES: Impotence, male infertility, prostatitis, inflammation, kidney health, malaria, fever
Overview
The pygeum tree is a tall evergreen native to Central and Southern Africa. Its bark has been used since ancient times to treat urinary conditions.
Therapeutic Dosages
The usual dosage of pygeum is 50 milligrams (mg) twice per day (occasionally 100 mg twice daily) of an extract standardized to contain 14 percent triterpenes and 0.5 percent n-docosanol. A dose of 100 mg once daily appears to be as effective as the most common dosage of 50 mg twice daily. There is some reason to believe that pygeum’s effectiveness might be enhanced when combined with nettle root, another natural treatment for BPH.
Therapeutic Uses
Pygeum primarily treats benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), or prostate enlargement. The scientific evidence supporting the use of pygeum is strongly equivalent to that of the more familiar natural BPH remedy, saw palmetto. Nonetheless, saw palmetto is probably the more advisable treatment. The pygeum tree has been so devastated by its harvesting for medicinal purposes that some regard it as a threatened species. Saw palmetto is cultivated rather than collected in the wild. In addition to BPH, pygeum is also prescribed for prostatitis, impotence, and male infertility. However, there is little solid evidence that it works for these conditions.
Studies done in the early 2000s suggested only limited benefits from Pygeum for symptom relief for conditions associated with BPH. In the following decade, more positive results emerged that suggested pygeum was helpful for a wider range of ailments, including reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Other benefits were alleviating frequent night urination and incontinence. By the 2020s, the list of potential benefits had grown to include symptoms of kidney disease. Pygeum has been used as a traditional treatment for malaria and fever, but no modern scientific studies have been undertaken on its effectiveness for these conditions.
Scientific Evidence
Myriad double-blind trials of pygeum for BPH have been performed, involving over one thousand individuals, and ranging in length from forty-five to ninety days. Many of these studies were small and poorly reported or designed. Further, there has been no reported studies on pygeum for over a decade. Nonetheless, the results make a meaningful case that pygeum can reduce symptoms such as nighttime urination, urinary frequency, and residual urine volume.
The best of these studies was conducted at eight sites in Europe and included 263 men between fifty and eighty-five years of age. Participants received 50 mg of a pygeum extract or a placebo twice daily. The results showed significant improvements in residual urine volume, voided volume, urinary flow rate, nighttime urination, and daytime frequency.
It is not known how pygeum works. Unlike the standard drug finasteride, it does not appear to work by affecting the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone. Rather, it is thought to reduce prostate inflammation and inhibit prostate growth factors, substances implicated in inappropriate prostate enlargement.
Safety Issues
Pygeum appears to be essentially nontoxic, both in the short and long term. The most common side effect is mild gastrointestinal distress. However, safety in young children, pregnant or nursing women, and those with severe liver or kidney disease has not been established.
Bibliography
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