Therapeutic Effect of Brain Awakening and Mind Opening Acupuncture Combined with Simiao Pill on Mice with Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

PURPOSE: Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition in older men, but treatment is often associated with complications and high recurrence rates. Previous clinical studies have shown that Brain Awakening and Mind Opening (BAMO) acupuncture and Simiao Pill can improve lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with BPH. This study explores the potential mechanisms behind these treatment methods for BPH using a mice model. METHODS: Six-week-old ICR male mice were divided into 5 groups (n=10). The Mice were injected subcutaneously with TP (5mg/kg/d) / corn oil (equal volume) for 28 days to establish a BPH model and a control group. After successful modelling, the mice were treated with distilled water for 21 days, while the BAMO acupuncture group, the Simiao pill group, and the mixed group were treated accordingly (BAMO acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6), Sanyinjiao (SP6), and Guanyuan (CV4) acupoints for 30 minutes every other day, or Simiao pill once a day). RESULTS: BAMO acupuncture, Simiao pills, and their combination effectively reduced prostate hyperplasia in mice. The observed therapeutic effects likely involve multiple mechanisms: suppression of dihydrotestosterone (DHT) synthesis via reduced testosterone levels and downregulated SRD5A2 expression (P<0.01), promotion of prostate cell apoptosis (indicated by an increased BAX/BCL-2 ratio, P<0.05), and mitigation of inflammation through decreased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: BAMO acupuncture and Simiao pill can restore normal prostate tissue structure in mice through multiple mechanisms: (1) reducing DHT production; (2) promoting apoptosis; (3) reducing inflammatory responses. Future studies could further investigate the hormonal regulation and apoptosis of BAMO acupuncture in mice.