Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is associated with high morbidity in older men and 5α-reductase plays an important role in BPH pathogenesis. To confirm the effect of 5α-reductase inhibitors (Fr5 and Fr6) purified from oil tea Camellia extract (OCE) on BPH (with finasteride as positive control), cell proliferation was measured by the thiazolyl blue tetrazolium blue (MTT) assay and apoptosis was detected by the Annexin V/PI double-staining method using the benign prostate hyperplastic epithelial cell line (BPH-1). The effects of different drug concentrations and action times on BPH-1 cells were compared. Our results showed that at 100 μg/mL, the positive control as well as active components, Fr5 and Fr6 showed cell proliferation inhibition rates of 47.20% ± 1.02%, 48.60% ± 1.56%, and 55.23% ± 0.58%, respectively. Fr6 showed stronger inhibition than the positive control at all the concentrations tested, while Fr5 showed effects similar to those of the control. The rate of cell proliferation inhibition for OCE was similar to that for 5α-reductase; thus, both methods were mutually confirming. The effect shown by the active component Fr6 also lasted longer than that by positive control. Additionally, the apoptosis rate for low-dose Fr6 (25 μg/mL) was 12.40% ± 3.78%, which was close to that for finasteride at 13.68% ± 1.02%. These results indicate a potential for OCE active components to inhibit BPH, especially Fr6, which warrants further study.
