Prostate, plant bioactive extracts, tree domestication and soil microorganisms: A decade of research on Prunus africana for men's health (Prostate, Phytotherapy and Bioscience) Kindle Edition

This is a culmination of over ten years of research on a plant: Pygeum, or Prunus africana. It is used worldwide for the prevention and treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). This disorder of the male reproductive system affects more than one million men each year worldwide, with over 70,000 undergoing painful needle biopsies for cancer, and over 130,000 undergoing radical prostatectomies, leading to incontinence and impotence. However, after analyzing existing treatments, prevention of this urological disorder may be possible through the synergistic action of Pygeum's bioactive extracts... Why, and above all, how?We developed a domestication method using cuttings with native Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) as biofertilizers and rooting substrate. Having thus found a solution to the plant's potential extinction due to overexploitation and difficulties in natural regeneration, we focused on its inherent properties: its biostimulants. Using GC-MS, we then obtained a complete metabolic map of the plant, including primary and secondary metabolites and their concentrations in its main preferred growing areas in Cameroon, where its bark is the most exported in the world for the manufacture of BPH (benign prostatic hyperplasia) medications. With an understanding of the sites with the highest number and concentration of bioactive compounds, we proposed, after comparative testing, a suitable extraction method for these compounds, without denaturation, usable by anyone wishing to prevent or treat this sexual health disorder naturally. A follow-up test was conducted, and a positive correlation was found between certain species of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) and the plant's bioactive compound content.This is science serving nature, offering men a natural, safe and sustainable alternative against Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH). Read more