Sargassum horneri Extract Alleviates Testosterone-Induced Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia In vitro and In vivo

ABSTRACT Sargassum horneri (Turner) C. Agardh (S. horneri) is brown algae that grows on the broad ranges in the Western Pacific, spanning from Northern Japan to the Philippines. S. horneri has been used as local food and traditional medicine for thousands of years in East Asia. However, little is known about its effects on benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study, we investigated the effects of S. horneri extract in testosterone propionate (TP)-induced BPH in vitro and in vivo.  Treatment with S. horneri extract significantly decreased the expression of androgen receptor, prostate-specific antigen, and 5α-reductase type 2 in TP-induced BPH in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, S. horneri extract treatment significantly increased the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, indicating increased cell apoptosis. Therefore, these results collectively show that S. horneri extract can alleviate TP-induced BPH and the possibility of using S. horneri extract as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of BPH.