Category Archives: Cucurbita pepo

Efficacy of pumpkin oil for insomnia

Clinical Trial, Complementary Medicine, Cucurbita pepo, Fatty acid, Herbal Medicine
J Pharm Pharmacogn Res 7(6): 471-481, 2019.

Original Article | Artículo Original

Efficacy of pumpkin oil (a Persian medicine product) in the treatment of chronic insomnia: A randomized double-blind clinical trial

[Eficacia del aceite de calabaza (un medicamento persa) en el tratamiento del insomnio crónico: un ensayo clínico aleatorizado doble ciego]

Elham Haghjoo1,2, Khosro Sadeghniiat Haghighi3, Fataneh Hashem Dabaghian1,2, Asie Shojaii1,4*, Hoorieh Mohammadi Kenari1,2

1Research Institute for Islamic and Complementary medicine. Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2Department of Traditional Medicine, School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
3Occupational Sleep Research Center, Baharloo Hospital, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
4Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Persian Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
Abstract

Context: According to Persian medicine text, there are some topical herbal remedies for insomnia such as pumpkin oil as a nasal drop.

Aims: To evaluate the effect of pumpkin oil (a Persian medicine product) in patients with chronic insomnia.

Methods: This study was conducted as a randomized double-blind clinical trial on pumpkin oil efficacy in 74 patients with chronic insomnia. The participants received two drops of intranasal pumpkin oil or placebo every night for two weeks. The effects of pumpkin oil and placebo on the pattern of sleep and sleep quality were assessed at baseline and at the end of two weeks of treatment by Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaires.

Results: The scores of the ISI questioner were statistically different between groups after two weeks of intervention and patients in the pumpkin oil group had fewer scores for ISI questioner (p<0.001). The reduction of the total score of the Pittsburgh questioner was 10.08 ± 3.21 in the pumpkin oil group and 0.28 ± 0.98 (p<0.001) in the control group.

Conclusions: Pumpkin oil could have a significant positive effect on the quantity and the quality of sleep in patients with chronic insomnia.

Keywords: clinical trial; insomnia; oil; nasal drop; Persian medicine; pumpkin.

Resumen

Contexto: De acuerdo con el texto de la medicina persa, existen algunos remedios herbales tópicos para el insomnio, como el aceite de calabaza como aplicado como gota nasal.

Objetivos: Evaluar el efecto del aceite de calabaza (un producto de medicina persa) en pacientes con insomnio crónico.

Métodos: Este estudio se realizó como un ensayo clínico aleatorizado doble ciego sobre la eficacia del aceite de calabaza en 74 pacientes con insomnio crónico. Los participantes recibieron dos gotas de aceite de calabaza intranasal o placebo todas las noches durante dos semanas. Los efectos del aceite de calabaza y el placebo sobre el patrón de sueño y la calidad del sueño fueron evaluados al inicio y al final de dos semanas de tratamiento mediante cuestionarios del Índice de Gravedad del Insomnio (ISI) y el Índice de Calidad del Sueño de Pittsburgh (PSQI).

Resultados: Las puntuaciones del interrogador ISI fueron estadísticamente diferentes entre los grupos después de dos semanas de intervención y los pacientes en el grupo de aceite de calabaza tuvieron menos puntuaciones para el interrogador ISI (p<0,001). La reducción de la puntuación total del interrogador de Pittsburgh fue de 10,08 ± 3,21 en el grupo de aceite de calabaza y 0,28 ± 0,98 (p <0,001) en el grupo de control.

Conclusiones: El aceite de calabaza podría tener un efecto positivo significativo en la cantidad y la calidad del sueño en pacientes con insomnio crónico.

Palabras Clave: aceite; calabaza; ensayo clínico; gota nasal; insomnio; medicina persa.

Download the PDF file .

 

Citation Format: Haghjoo E, Haghighi KS, Shojaii A, Dabaghian FH, Mohammadi Kenari H (2019) Efficacy of pumpkin oil (a Persian medicine product) in the treatment of chronic insomnia: A randomized double-blind clinical trial. J Pharm Pharmacogn Res 7(6): 471–481.

© 2019 Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research (JPPRes)

BPH treatment with the natural product Calprost®

Benign prostatic hyperplasia, biochemical markers, Biochemistry, Calprost, Clinical Pharmacology, Clinical Trial, Cucurbita pepo, Drug Usage, Inflammation, IPSS, Lower urinary tract symptoms, Natural Products, Pharmacology, Phytotherapy, Pumpkin seed oil, Side Effects, Terazosin
J Pharm Pharmacogn Res 4(5): 187-198, 2016.

Original Article | Artículo Original

Clinical evaluation of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, treated with the natural product Calprost®: a randomized, controlled study

[Evaluación clínica de pacientes con hiperplasia prostática benigna, tratados con el producto natural Calprost®: estudio aleatorizado, controlado]

Magnelis Machado-Leiva1, Daise Jiménez-Rodríguez2, Tatiana Festary-Casanovas2, Deydree  C. Silveira-Pacheco3, Emilio S. Barroso-de la Cruz4, Mariela Suárez-Reyes1, Genma Salas-Cruz1, Haydee Wong-Arocha3, Roberto Fernández-Viera4, Ángela D. Tuero-Iglesias5, René Delgado-Hernández2, Idrian García-García2*, for the Calprost Study Group

1Urology and Natural and Traditional Medicine Services, Clinical-Surgical Hospital “Dr. Luis Díaz Soto”, Havana, Cuba
2Clinical Trials Group, Research Direction, Center for Drug Research and Development, Ave. 26 and Puentes Grandes, No. 1605, Nuevo Vedado,Havana, Cuba
3Urology Service, Clinical-Surgical Hospital “Joaquín Albarrán”, Havana, Cuba
4Urology Service, Clinical-Surgical Hospital “Iván Portuondo”, San Antonio de los Baños, Artemisa, Cuba
5Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Havana, Cuba.

*E-mail: idrian.garcia@cidem.cu

Abstract

Context: Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) is a common disease that course with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (LUTS), mainly in over 50 years-old men. Commonly indicated drugs such as alpha adrenergic-blockers are life-treatment with some adverse reactions. Center for Drug Research and Development produce a microencapsulated lipophilic extract of pumpkin seed oil (Calprost®) with anti-androgenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative and diuretic properties.

Aims: To evaluate the effect and safety of Calprost® in patients with BPH and LUTS.

Methods: A multicenter, randomized, controlled, open exploratory clinical trial was conducted. Two experimental groups, study group (Calprost®, 140 mg daily) (n=81), and control group (terazosin, 2 mg daily) (n=50) were conformed. All the patients were treated during three months. Efficacy was evaluated through International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), residual bladder volume and prostate volume.

Results: Most of the included patients (74.0%) were white skin color and their mean age was 66 yrs. Fifteen patients, nine of them from terazosin group, withdraw the trial voluntarily. A significant reduction in the overall IPSS scale was obtained for both groups. Nevertheless, some obstructive (intermittency, straining) and irritative (frequency, urgency) urinary symptoms decreased more markedly in the Calprost® group being milder. Median residual and prostatic volumes decreased significantly (p=0.048 and p=0.002, respectively) only into the Calprost® group. Most of the adverse events were recorded in the terazosin group (79.4%), where postural hypotension prevailed.

Conclusions: The natural product Calprost® was probed as a successful treatment of patients with BPH/LUTS, being also well-tolerated.

Keywords: Benign prostatic hyperplasia; Calprost®; IPSS; lower urinary tract symptoms, pumpkin seed oil, terazosin.

Resumen

Contexto: La Hiperplasia Prostática Benigna (HPB) es una enfermedad común en hombres mayores de 50 años de edad, que cursa con Síntomas del Tracto Urinario Bajo (STUB). Los tratamientos de por vida con medicamentos bloqueadores alfa-adrenérgicos producen algunas reacciones adversas. El Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo de Medicamentos produce un extracto lipofílico microencapsulado de aceite de semillas de calabaza (Calprost®) con propiedades anti-androgénicas, anti-inflamatorias, antioxidantes, antirproliferativas y diuréticas.

Objetivos: Evaluar el efecto  y seguridad del Calprost® en pacientes con BPH/STUB.

Métodos: Se realizó un  estudio exploratorio, multicéntrico, aleatorizado, controlado y abierto. Se conformaron dos grupos experimentales, estudio (Calprost®, 140 mg diarios) (n=81), y control (terazosina, 2 mg diarios) (n=50). Todos los pacientes fueron tratados durante tres meses. La eficacia se evaluó mediante la sintomatología urinaria (escala IPSS), volumen vesical residual y volumen prostático.

Resultados: La mayoría de los pacientes (74.0%) fueron blancos, con edad promedio de 66 años. Quince pacientes, nueve de ellos del grupo terazosina, abandonaron el estudio voluntariamente. Hubo disminución significativa de la escala global de síntomas en ambos grupos, aunque algunos de ellos se redujeron notablemente solo en el grupo Calprost®, llegando a ser más ligeros. La mediana tanto del volumen residual (p=0.048) como del prostático (p=0.002) disminuyó de manera significativa solo en el grupo tratado con Calprost®. El porcentaje de eventos adversos presentados fue mayor con la terazosina (79.4%), prevaleciendo la hipotensión postural.

Conclusiones: El producto natural Calprost® fue efectivo en el tratamiento de la HPB/STUB, siendo además bien tolerado.

Palabras Clave: Aceite de semilla de calabaza; Calprost®; hiperplasia prostática benigna; IPSS; síntomas del tracto urinario bajo; terazosina.

Download the PDF file .

 

Citation Format: Machado-Leiva M, Jiménez-Rodríguez D, Festary-Casanovas T, Silveira-Pacheco DC, Barroso-de la Cruz ES, Suárez-Reyes M, Salas-Cruz G, Wong-Arocha H, Fernández-Viera R, Tuero-Iglesias AD, Delgado-Hernández R, García-García Idrian, for the Calprost Study Group (2016) Clinical evaluation of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia, treated with the natural product Calprost®: a randomized, controlled study.J Pharm Pharmacogn Res 4(5): 187-198.

© 2016 Journal of Pharmacy & Pharmacognosy Research (JPPRes)