An overview of benign prostatic hyperplasia and its appreciation in Greco-Arab (Unani) system of medicine

OBJECTIVE: Conventional treatments for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) like 5alpha-reductase inhibitors and invasive surgery are associated with some obvious side effects. Conversely, evidence, though limited, has shown that alternative medicines are safer and have potential to improve the lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and quality of life in addition to improving sexual dysfunction in patients with BPH. The current article aimed to include an overview of BPH, different ways of its management, and particularly its appreciation in Greco-Arab (Unani) system of medicine, one of the alternative medicinal systems. METHODS: PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Web of Sciences, Google Scholar databases and classical texts of Greco-Arab medicine were searched for data collection. RESULTS: In Unani system of medicine, BPH, traced under the headings of Waram unuq al-mathana (bladder neck swelling) and Insidad majra-i-mathana (bladder outlet obstruction), has been managed for centuries with herbal medicines yet demanding a comprehensive scientific validation. Among the herbs, Cucurbita pepo, Tribulus terrestris, Urtica dioica, and Linum usitatissimum are worth mentioning. CONCLUSION: For achieving the goal of LUTS-free ageing men, and safer and cost-effective future management of BPH, Unani herbal medicine could hopefully prove beneficial.