Osteoporosis in elderly men is becoming an important health issue with the aging society. Elderly men with androgen deficiency are exposed to osteoporosis and can be treated with testosterone replacement. In this study, Eurycoma longifolia (EL), a plant with androgenic effects, was supplemented to an androgen-deficient osteoporotic aged rat as alternative to testosterone. Aged 12 months old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into groups of normal control (NC), sham-operated (SO), orchidectomised-control (OrxC), orchidectomised and supplemented with EL (Orx + El) and orchidectomised and given testosterone (Orx + T). After 6 weeks of treatment, serum osteocalcin, serum terminal C-telopeptide Type 1 collagen (CTX) and the fourth lumbar bone calcium were measured. There were no significant differences in the osteocalcin levels before and after treatment in all the groups. The CTX levels were also similar for all the groups before treatment. However, after treatment, orchidectomy had caused significant elevation of CTX compared to normal control rats. Testosterone replacements in orchidectomised rats were able to prevent the rise of CTX. Orchidectomy had also reduced the bone calcium level compared to normal control rats. Both testosterone replacement and EL supplementation to orchidectomised rats were able to maintain the bone calcium level, with the former showing better effects. As a conclusion, EL prevented bone calcium loss in orchidectomised rats and therefore has the potential to be used as an alternative treatment for androgen deficient osteoporosis.
Matched MeSH terms: Androgens/deficiency; Androgens/therapeutic use
According to neurohormonal theory, prenatal androgens are key determinants of sexual orientation. As a reputed marker for prenatal androgens, the 2D:4D finger length ratio has been used in more than a dozen studies to test the hypothesis that prenatal androgens influence sexual orientation. Findings have been very inconsistent.
Prostate cancer has become the second leading cancer in men worldwide. Androgen plays an important role in normal functioning, development, and differentiation of the prostate, and thus is considered to be the most powerful candidate that mediates reactive oxygen species (ROS) balance in the prostate. The elevation of ROS has been associated with the progression and development of this disease. Conventional therapy has shown a high cure rate in patients with localized prostate cancer. Despite the patients respond favorably initially, this therapy fails to response in the advanced stage of the diseases even in the absence of androgens. Indeed, the onset and progression of prostate cancer could be prevented by changing dietary habits. Much information indicates that oxidative stress and prostate cancer can be modulated by dietary components rich in antioxidants. While there is substantial evidence to suggest an association between prostate cancer risk and ROS-mediated oxidative stress; therefore, the interactions and mechanisms of this phenomenon are worth to discuss further. This review aimed to discuss the mechanisms of action of oxidative stress involved in the progression of prostate cancer. We also highlighted how some of the vital dietary components dampen or exacerbate inflammation, oxidative stress, and prostate cancer. Overall, the reported information would provide a useful approach to the prevention of prostate cancer.