The Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a New Herbal Formula (WSY-1075) in a Nonbacterial Prostatitis Rat Model

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of a new herbal formula (WSY-1075) in a nonbacterial prostatitis rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Prostatitis was induced in male Wistar rats (n=32) by treatment with 17 beta-estradiol and dihydrotestosterone for 4 weeks. After the induction of prostatitis, the rats were randomly divided into one of four treatment groups: control (n=8), ciprofloxacin (n=8), WSY-1075 (100 mg/kg) (n=8), and WSY-1075 (400 mg/kg) (n=8). After 4 weeks of treatment, the prostatic proinflammatory cytokine (tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin [IL]-6, and IL-8) levels and histological findings were noted. RESULTS: The ciprofloxacin and WSY-1075 treatment groups showed significantly decreased proinflammatory cytokine levels compared with the control group. Histologically, treatment with ciprofloxacin and WSY-1075 significantly suppressed the severity of prostatitis lesions compared with those in the control group. No differences in the proinflammatory cytokine levels or histologic findings were observed with the dose dependent treatment of WSY-1075. CONCLUSIONS: The new herbal formula, WSY-1075, showed effective anti-inflammatory activities in the prostate and may be useful for the clinical treatment of nonbacterial prostatitis. Our findings suggest that WSY-1075 has a beneficial effect on the prevention and treatment of nonbacterial prostatitis.