Editorial Comment to Combination therapy with tamsulosin and traditional herbal medicine for lower urinary tract symptoms due to benign prostatic hyperplasia: A double‐blinded, randomized, pilot clinical trial
Abstract
Western medicines, such as a-1 adrenergic receptor antagonists and 5a-reductase inhibitors, have been used as first-line medications to treat lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). However, these were reportedly insufficient to treat some patients. In these cases, traditional herbal medicine is a commonly used an alternative, particularly in East Asian countries, including Japan and South Korea. Several clinical studies in Asia have reported on the effectiveness of traditional herbal medicine on LUTS. Especially, Hachimijiogan was reportedly effective in alleviating the subjective symptoms and improving the objective response of male patients with LUTS. In addition, according to a study by Park et al., Paljung-san successfully suppresses the progression of BPH due to its antiproliferative, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative effects on the prostate gland both in vivo and in vitro. The significance of traditional herbal medicine in treating LUTS has been documented in clinical and basic medical reports. However, most clinical studies did not include a placebo group, and there have been few case analyses. Therefore, meta-analyses have not been sufficiently conducted, and the level of evidence, regarding the usefulness of traditional herbal medicine for LUTS, is limited. Lee et al. reported the usefulness and safety of combination therapy with tamsulosin and traditional herbal medicines, such as Hachimijiogan or Ryutanshakanto, in…
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Evidence Hub reads this as a randomized trial, done in people. Its evidence level is 2 of 5 (High · randomized trial). Randomized trials of a reasonable size are the strongest single-study design.
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