Saw palmetto, also known as the American dwarf palm tree or cabbage palm, is a small palm tree native to the United States. Diosgenin comes from the roots of the wild yam. It is a phytoestrogen and can be chemically converted into the hormone progesterone. Saw Palmetto derivatives are used to treat the prostrate, for hair loss and acne. Diosgenin inhibits tumor growth, according to the National Institutes of Health, and may help to prevent colon cancer. It is important to consult your doctor before taking any herbal supplements.
Saw Palmetto Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia Treatment
Saw palmetto is a common treatment for benign prostatic hyperplasia, also referred to as BPH. It can help alleviate frequent urination and pain, but does not reduce prostrate volume, according to the Integrated Laboratory Systems.
A 2009 study by the Department of Food Service Management and Nutrition at Sangmyung University in Korea performed a double-blind placebo-controlled study on 47 patients with BPH. The group that used saw palmetto in pumpkin seed oil had a significant reduction in serum prostate-specific antigen, PSA. The study concluded that saw palmetto is clinically safe and may be an effective complementary alternative medicine treatment for BPH patients.
Gastrointestinal Effects from Saw Palmetto
While side effects from saw palmetto are rare, there have been cases of minor side effects reported. Eating saw palmetto berries can cause stomach upset and other gastrointestinal problems including diarrhea, according to a report by the Integrated Laboratory Systems for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
Diosgenin as a Depigmenting Agent
Diosgenin comes from the root of the wild yam. It is a phytoestrogen, or plant sterol, which can be chemically processed and converted into progesterone. Birth control pills in the 1960s were made from diosgenin, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. A 2007 study by the Biospectrum Life Sciences Institute in Korea found diosgenin inhibits melanogenis and helps reduce hyperpigmentation.
Diosgenin Inhibits Tumor Growth
Diosgenin inhibits tumor growth in breast cancer and color cancer. A 2009 study by the Department of Clinical Sciences at the College of Health Science at the University of Kentucky found diosgenin inhibits tumor growth and is a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of breast cancer. No known side effects were found.
The Division of Nutritional Carcinogenesis at the Institute of Cancer Prevention, American Health Foundation Cancer Center in New York, in a 2004 study, found diosgenin inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in human colon cancer cells. They concluded that diosgenin is a novel colon cancer preventive agent.
References
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Saw Palmetto
- University of Maryland Medical Center:Wild Yam
- National Institutes of Health: Selected Herbals and Human Exercise Performance
- National Institutes of Health: Disgenin Targets Akt-mediated Prosurvival Signaling in Human Breast Cancer Cells
- National Institutes of Health: Diosgenin, a Steroid Saponin of Trigonella Foenum Graecum (Fenugreek), Inhibits Azoxymethane-induced Aberrant Cypt Foci Formation in F344 Rats and Induces Apoptosis in HT-29 Human Colon Cancer Cells
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