Abstract
Alternative medicine is a widely accepted therapeutic approach for the management of various diseases. The Korean medicine, musulju (MSJ), has been traditionally used to improve vital energy in men with reduced physical strength and a weakened urinary system. The present study determined the mechanisms underlying the protective effect of MSJ against benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disorder in elderly men that involves inflammation‑mediated imbalance between cell proliferation and death. MSJ treatment was demonstrated to decrease prostate weight, cell proliferation, and the protein expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in a rat model of BPH. In addition, MSJ markedly reduced serum testosterone levels, 5α‑reductase2 mRNA expression and BPH‑associated upregulation of inflammatory proteins, inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2. Furthermore, MSJ induced apoptosis by regulating B‑cell lymphoma (Bcl)‑2 protein expression and the Bcl‑2:Bax ratio, leading to caspase 3 activation. Taken together, MSJ demonstrated antiproliferative effects in BPH model rats by regulating the expression levels of proteins involved in inflammation and apoptosis. The effects of MSJ may be attributed to its alternative therapeutic properties.