It is well known that prostatic inflammation causes male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). However, the treatment of non-bacterial prostatic inflammation still has not been established. Cernitin pollen extract (composed of Cernitin T60 and Cernitin GBX) improves human male LUTS of prostatic inflammation, nevertheless the detailed mechanism of that is unknown. Therefore, we investigated the effect of Cernitin pollen extract in a rat model with nonbacterial prostatic inflammation.

Male Sprague-Dawley rats (8 weeks, n=20) were divided into five groups. Sham saline group (n=4), formalin-vehicle group (n=4), formalin - Cernitin T60 group (n=4), formalin - Cernitin GBX group (n=4), formalin - Cernitin T60+Cernitin GBX group (n=4). The sham saline group had sham operation and 50 μL normal saline injected into each ventral lobe of the prostate. The formalin groups had 5% 50 μL formalin injection into each ventral lobe of the prostate. Formalin - Cernitin groups were treated with Cernitin T60 (1200mg/kg/day), Cernitin GBX (60mg/kg/day) and Cernitin T60+Cernitin GBX (1260mg/kg/day) from 2 days before induction of prostatic inflammation. Whereas saline group and formalin-vehicle group were received olive oil. In each group, the voiding volume and the voiding interval under free behavior were measured on day 7. Then the prostate was harvested for evaluation of mRNA expression and histological analysis.

The mean voiding intervals were significantly shorter and the mean voiding volume was decreased in formalin - vehicle rats than those in sham saline rats (p<0.05). In contrast, those in formalin - Cernitin groups were increased compared with formalin-vehicle group. Furthermore, those of formalin-Cernitin groups had no significant differences.  In RT-qPCR analysis, mRNA expression of IL-1β was significantly increased in formalin - vehicle rats compared with sham saline rats (p<0.05). In contrast, mRNA expression of IL-1β in formalin-Cernitin groups were no significant changed compared with sham saline rats (Figure 1). In hematoxylin eosin stain, Neutrophils were increased in prostatic stroma of formalin – vehicle rats compared with sham saline rats.  However, those of formalin - Cernitin groups were not remarkable (Figure 2).

Cernitin T60 or Cernitin GBX respectively improved prostatic inflammation. However, for improved overactive bladder conditions of prostatic inflammation rats in short term, both Cernitin T60 of Cernitin GBX should be needed.

Cernitin pollen extract  could improve prostatic inflammation and overactive bladder conditions in short term.