<i>Serenoa repens</i> extract for benign prostate hyperplasia: a randomized controlled trial

<jats:sec> <jats:title>OBJECTIVE</jats:title> <jats:p> To compare the effect of a <jats:italic>Serenoa repens</jats:italic> extract with placebo for symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). </jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>PATIENTS AND METHODS</jats:title> <jats:p> In a double‐blind placebo‐controlled randomized trial between January 1999 and March 2000, 100 men with symptoms of BPH, aged < 80 years, with a maximum urinary flow rate of 5–15 mL/s for a voiding volume of 150 mL, were randomly and equally allocated to 320 mg <jats:italic>S. repens</jats:italic> extract or placebo (paraffin oil). The main outcome measures were the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), peak urinary flow rate, and the Rosen International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire. </jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>RESULTS</jats:title> <jats:p>There was no significant difference between the treatments over the 12 weeks of the study in the IPSS, peak urinary flow rate or for the IIEF questionnaire.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>CONCLUSIONS</jats:title> <jats:p> During the trial all participants had some improvement in their symptoms of BPH but there was no significant beneficial effect of this <jats:italic>S. repens</jats:italic> extract over placebo in this 12‐week trial. </jats:p> </jats:sec>