Open AccessPhytotherapy Adds to the Therapeutic Armamentarium for the Treatment of Mild-To-Moderate Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men
Author(s) -
Paolo Fornara,
Stephan Madersbacher,
W. Vahlensieck,
Franz Bracher,
Imre Repa,
Paul Kil
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
urologia internationalis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.771
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1423-0399
pISSN - 0042-1138
DOI - 10.1159/000504611
Subject(s) - medicine , tolerability , lower urinary tract symptoms , guideline , phytotherapy , placebo , urinary system , alternative medicine , adverse effect , prostate , pathology , cancer
Practice guidelines hardly recommend herbal extracts for male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, many patients are unsatisfied with first-line synthetic drugs and often prefer herbal medicines because of good tolerability. To improve the decision-making process, which should consider the patients' expectations, it is crucial to reflect on the role of phytotherapy in the treatment of LUTS. We (panel experts) reflected on current guideline recommendations and real practice across various European countries and debated the potential role of plant extracts with a focus on pumpkin seed soft extract investigated over 12 months in two randomised placebo-controlled trials.