Combined ethanol extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianium leaves improves the lipid profile and kidney function indices of benign prostatic hyperplasia in rats.

Background: Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a non-cancerous enlargement of the prostate gland as a result of an overgrowth of prostate cells and muscles found around the prostatic transition. It is age-dependent and characterized by benign prostate enlargement (BPE), bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). The study investigated the effects of a combined extract of Funtumia africana and Abutilon mauritianum leaves (CEFA) on the lipid profile and renal indices of testosterone-induced BPH in male albino rats.

Methods: Thirty (30) male albino rats (100-150 g) divided into 5 groups (n = 6) were used.BPH was induced subcutaneously with 2 ml of testosterone propionate. Groups 1-3 served as normal, BPH untreated and standard drug controls respectively, while groups 4 and 5 were BPH-induced and treated with low (200 mg/kg) and high (600 mg/kg) doses of CEFA respectively. After twenty-eight days of treatment, the rats were anaesthetized, blood was collected by cardiac puncture and the sera centrifuged to determine lipid profile and renal indices using standard analytical procedures.

Results: The acute toxicity result of CEFA indicated no mortality or adverse reactions. The results of the lipid profile and renal function studies showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), urea and creatinine, and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations in the BPH control group when compared to the normal control. Treatment with CEFA caused a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in TAG, urea and creatinine concentrations and a significant (p < 0.05) increase in HDL-C when compared to the untreated group. No significant (p > 0.05) difference was observed in serum concentrations of TC and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the treatment groups compared to the BPH control. The histopathological result indicated no toxic insult on the kidney tissues.

Conclusions: The findings suggest that CEFA possesses antilipidaemic properties in terms of elevation and decrease in HDL and TAG concentrations respectively. Also, CEFA possesses renoprotective potential in terms of reducing urea and creatinine concentrations.