Sabal serrulata (Michx.) Schult.f. Arecaceae (Palmae) American dwarf palm; sabal Sabalis serrulatae fructus Dried ripe fruit Free fatty acids such as capric, caproic, caprylic, lauric, myristic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, stearic and palmitic acids, and phytosterols such as β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol and β-sitosterol 3-O-D-glucoside. Flavonoids including rutin, kaempferol and isoquercetin, and carotenoids are also present (Booker et al. 2014; ESCOP 2003; Williamson et al. 2013). More than 90 clinical trials on the use of saw palmetto in BPH have been published but the overall evidence is conflicting. The most recent Cochrane Review concluded that ‘at double and triple doses, [saw palmetto] did not improve urinary flow measures or prostate size in men with lower urinary tract symptoms consistent with BPH’ (Tacklind et al. 2012). Earlier reviews by the Cochrane Collaboration (2000 and 2002) provided a more positive overall assessment but the shift was mainly due to a large placebo controlled clinical trial, carried out in the United States, which had a negative outcome (Barry et al. 2011). In the same study, saw palmetto extract did not affect serum prostate specific antigen more than placebo, even at relatively high doses (Andriole et al. 2013).
Saw Palmetto
Serenoa repens (W. Bartram) Small
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Benign prostrate hyperplasia:
Sexual dysfunction associated with BPH:
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