Frequent urination, urgency, weakened urine stream, incomplete urination?
It turned out to be prostatic hyperplasia!
Doctors prescribed softgels of saw palm fruit extract
What kind of medicine is this?
The following editor will take you to understand
Commonly used drugs in urology--
Saw palmetto fruit extract
Class 3 drugs: botanical preparations
At present, there are three main types of drugs for the treatment of prostatic hyperplasia in clinical practice:
The first category is α receptor blockers, which represent the drug tamsulosin;
The second category is 5α reductase inhibitors, which represent finasteride drugs;
Although the above two drugs have definite efficacy, they are still intolerant clinically due to their strong effects, so they will be adjusted to the third class of drug plant preparations, and saw leaf palmetto fruit extract is currently the most widely used plant preparation at home and abroad.
Saw leaf palmetto
Saw palmetto is a palmaceae shrub that grows in the southeastern United States, and is a low, shrub-like palm tree with a single or branched trunk close to the ground. The branches are oblique, up to 6 meters long, the leaf halberd points to the sky, splitting into 18-30 petals, and the petiole is up to 1.5 meters long, with sharp teeth that bend back, hence the name. The main stem is as long as the leaves, with garden cones and small white flowers. The fruit is a drupe, about 2-3 cm long, oval-shaped, green or yellow before ripening, and blue to black when ripe. The fruit contains an oval-shaped hard seed that can be budded into a plant. The plant thrives in southern North America.
Saw palmetto fruit extract
Saw palm is a kind of palm palm family, its fruit contains a large number of free fatty acids, lauric acid, palmitic acid and other active ingredients, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and other pharmacological effects, its fruit extract is often used in the treatment of urological diseases, which is mainly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Indications
It is used in the early stage of benign prostatic hyperplasia, such as frequent urination, urgency, difficulty urinating, etc.
Dosage
Unless otherwise directed, take 1 capsule 1-2 times daily. Take with lukewarm water after meals. Doctors decide on the course of treatment based on the severity and duration of the disease.
Mechanism of action
01 Inhibits the activity of 5α reductase and reduces the production of active testosterone. It can inhibit prostatic hyperplasia and reduce the volume of the prostate.
02 Block α1 adrenergic receptors to achieve the effect of soothing smooth muscles, and then relax the smooth muscles of the urethra, bladder neck and prostate, reduce the resistance to urination, thereby improving the clinical symptoms of prostatic hyperplasia such as urinary frequency, urgency, and urine waiting.
03 It has obvious anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Saw Palmetto fruit extract contains a large number of antioxidants, which can inhibit the production of a variety of inflammatory mediators, and can remove oxidative free radicals in blood and tissues, which also plays an important role in improving the clinical symptoms of patients with prostatic hyperplasia.
Drug interactions
1. When taken with anticoagulant drugs or antiplatelet aggregation drugs (such as phenylprocoumarin, warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin), it can enhance its efficacy.
2. When taken with anti-androgens (such as finasteride), its efficacy can be enhanced, and when the drug is taken at the same time as testosterone or other male hormones for hormone replacement therapy, its efficacy will be weakened.
Adverse effects
Gastrointestinal discomfort such as nausea, vomiting, stomach or abdominal pain or diarrhea, adverse reactions such as dizziness, insomnia, palpitations, headache, rash, and increased blood pressure can be seen. Concomitant use with certain medications (see Section 1 of Drug Interactions) may cause bleeding.
This group of people needs attention
1. When taken with anticoagulant drugs, antiplatelet aggregation drugs, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (such as phenylprocoumarin, warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, etc.), as well as those with coagulation diseases or previous surgical or dental procedures, should be aware of the possible risk of bleeding.
2. When taking antiandrogens (such as flutamide or finasteride) or treating androgens at the same time, the interaction between the relevant effects between this product and the above classes of drugs on the efficacy of the drug should be considered.
3. When suffering from high blood pressure, blood pressure should be measured regularly.
4. If you are using or have recently used other medications, including over-the-counter medications, inform your physician in advance.
5. This product contains sorbitol, patients who are intolerant to certain sugars, please consult a physician before taking it.
6. This product is not intended for use by children and adolescents under the age of 18.
7. It is not recommended for patients with moderate to severe prostatic hyperplasia.
Reviewer: Yang Yuanrong, Chief Pharmacist, Department of Pharmacy, Jingzhou Central Hospital, and Xiong Jianqun, Deputy Chief Pharmacist
Author: Liu Kaifei, chief pharmacist, Department of Pharmacy, Jingzhou Central Hospital