The Efficacy of Stinging Nettle (Urtica Dioica) in Patients with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia: A Randomized Double-Blind Study in 100 Patients

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease observed in 90 percent of men over 60 (1). Benign prostat-ic hyperplasia is the most common benign tumor in men (2). The exact cause of this disease is still unknown, and environmental and genetic causes are thought to be involved in its development (3). As studies show, 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 to 60 and 90 percent of men over 80 have been histologically diagnosed with BPH (4). One of the most commonly used herbal remedies is nettle, which causes anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-viral effects, modulating of immune system, and relieves the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia due to the compounds it contains such as phytosterols, lignans and polysaccharides (5). In a clinical trial, 287 BPH patients who had been treated with nettle (Urtica dioica) showed significant reduction in IPSS, serum PSA and prostate size (6). Researchers decided to carry out a new research aiming to investigate the efficacy of nettle on the reduction of clinical symptoms of BPH. The present study is ran-domized double-blind clinical trial which has been performed to investigate the effect of nettle herb in reducing symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia in the patients referred to the Urology Department of Imam Khomeini and Golestan Hospitals in Ahvaz, during the period of May 1 to August 1, 2011. One-hundred BPH patients were bound to having certain criteria to be included in the study; for example, they had to be between 40 to 80 years with no specific complications such as acute urinary retention, renal infection or renal failure. They were also asked to sign the consent form. They were divided randomly and double-blind into two groups of fifty. After the patients were examined by urologists and their cases of BPH were approved, they were included in the study. One group was given nettle and other group placebo (two capsules of 300mg each, 2 times a day) similarly and consistently for a period of 8 weeks. Placebo and nettle were provided in identical capsules by Goldaru Company. A checklist containing demographic information and International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS) or AUA was used to collect data. Nine visits were made (for each patient) before entering the study and at the end of each week until the eighth week of treatment, and …