Chewable tablets containing rape bee pollen and maca attenuate testosterone propionate–induced benign prostatic hyperplasia in Sprague–Dawley rats by regulating the gut microbiota and modulating the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway

Xiaoqiang Huang¹Guohua Ru²Hengyun Tian¹Pengbo Zhang²Hongchang Zhao²Sijie Wang²Jia An^1*Wanli Zhao^3*

• ¹Huanghe University of Science and Technology, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China
• ²Henan University, Kaifeng, Henan Province, China
• ³Institute of Botany, Jiangsu Province and Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) impairs quality of life and imposes significant economic burden, with current pharmacotherapies offering only symptomatic relief and notable side effects. Rape bee pollen and maca, both nutrient-rich functional foods with diverse biological activities, have not been previously studied in combination for BPH treatment or mechanistic insight. This study evaluates the therapeutic efficacy and molecular mechanisms of a novel chewable tablet containing rape bee pollen and maca in a rat model of BPH. The formulation was prepared and characterized via HPLC fingerprinting, with quantitative analysis of four major components. BPH was induced in rats by subcutaneous testosterone propionate injections over four weeks, during which the chewable tablets were administered orally. Treatment significantly reduced prostate index, serum levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT), testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), E2/T ratio, and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β), while enhancing antioxidant markers—SOD and GSH—and reducing lipid peroxidation (MDA). Histopathological examination confirmed amelioration of prostate hyperplasia. Notably, the combination therapy outperformed either component alone, suggesting synergistic effects. Mechanistically, Western blot analysis revealed downregulation of IL-6, phosphorylated JAK2 (p-JAK2), and phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3), implicating suppression of the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Furthermore, 16S rDNA sequencing of fecal samples showed that the tablet modulated gut microbiota by enriching beneficial genera—including Faecalibacterium, Collinsella, Phascolarctobacterium, Kineothrix, and Lactobacillus—while reducing the pro-inflammatory Prevotella. These findings suggest that the chewable tablet exerts protective effects against BPH through dual modulation of systemic inflammation and oxidative stress, as well as gut microbiome balance. The therapeutic synergy between rape bee pollen and maca highlights their potential as a safe, natural alternative for BPH management, acting via the gut-prostate axis and IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway inhibition.