Background:

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common benign tumor in men. The oil extracted from the pumpkin seed (Curcubita pepo) is used to treat the symptoms associated with this disease. However, human studies are few, and insufficient available evidence.

Objectives:

to determine the effectiveness of pumpkin seed in the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia. To carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis on it.

Methods:

a systematic review and meta-analysis of the existing literature in the Pubmed / Medline, Ebsco, Scopus and Scielo databases were carried out. Randomized clinical trials were selected, in any language that evaluated the effectiveness of phytomedicines composed of Cucurbita pepo, comparing it with a placebo; in patients with a proven diagnosis of prostatic hyperplasia; and with an evaluation time greater than six months.

Results:

the total population in the selected studies was 1403 men, all over 50 years of age. All studies evaluated the effectiveness of pumpkin seed oil. The global mean difference was significant (MD: -0.76 95% CI: -1.40, -0.13, I2 = 26.75%). No significant improvement was found in terms of quality of life, uroflowmetric parameters, residual volume, prostate surface antigen values, and prostate size.

Conclusion:

The results showed, with a moderate level of evidence, that phytomedicines based on pumpkin seed or its extract were not associated with a clinical or functional improvement of benign prostatic hyperplasia.

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