While the majority of middle-aged men and women are at record level of intelligence, as well as talents to make a contribution to our society, they have to face an incurable disease called tumors.
The final report of a scientific research of Dr. Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tram to the Ministry of Health in 2001 ‘Research of completing extraction technology process of alkaloids from Vietnamese Crinum latifolium L. to treat the benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and uterine fibroids.’ showed that from past to present once people get older, they are in the state of endocrine disorder.
Dr. Tram indicated middle-aged men can suffer from urination disorder - manifesting as stimulation and obstruction leading to some complications such as bacterial contamination, urinary retention, bladder stone, bladder diverticulum, kidney failure, etc. and we call these symptoms the benign prostatic hyperplasia. Men after 40 normally have BPH while women after 35 are likely to catch uterine fibroids. The main reason for which is a prolonged estrogen intensity. Once there are tumors in cervix, some symptoms will occur such as menorrhagia, hemorrhage, infertility, premature birth, and pressure against organs in sub-frame. We can use some anti-estrogen medicine to reduce bleeding and enlargement of tumors, however, its effect is just temporary. When treatment is ceased, size of tumor can increase again and the dissection surgery is inevitable.
The benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and uterine fibroids are caused by endocrine disorder. ‘The more modern life and the higher life-span, the more possible risk of catching prostatitis,’ some scientists cautioned. There are approximately 11.7m people asking for doctors’ help in US every year, and the number of patients undergoing operations is 400,000. In developing countries, the incidence of prostatitis is increasing with the age. Meanwhile in Vietnam, epidemiological survey of Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Tho, along with his coworkers, conducted nationwide showed that the incidence in men over the age of 50 is 63.8%. Additionally psychology is also one of the causes of this disease. Those who lead separated or divorced lives, unbalanced sex life and stressful lifestyle are likely to have some trouble in their endocrine gland. Especially, the risk of single women is higher than that of married women. In Vietnam nowadays, the number of women suffering from uterine fibroids is a little high. Particularly, every year the Central Obstetrics Hospital performs operations on nearly 1,000 women, examines and treats thousands of outpatients.
According to Dr. Tram, after a-century-ceaseless effort of international scientists to find out the causes of enlargement of prostate they can only formulate a hypothesis ‘Testosteron is the main product of leyding cell in testicles. It is known that free testosteron isn’t the cause of BPH. But under the influence of 5a-reductase it can be transformed into dihydrotestosteron (DHT) - an active metabolite attaching to receptors in prostate cell leading to division of cell nucleus, proliferation and enlargement of prostate’. In international pharmaceutical history, it was believed that eunuchs can avoid BPH. In 1941, a scientist’s proposal for treating the BPH by cutting out testicles or using estrogen (an anti-androgen hormone) was applied widely. As a result, this scientist was awarded Nobel Prize in 1966.
Nowadays in Vietnam there are two treatments: internal medicine and surgery. Surgery is a method using endoscopy and dissection but this method is really a worse solution for its high cost and likelihood of complication after surgery. Meanwhile internal medicine is the way of using medicine. Those who suffer from benign prostatic hyperplasia, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and blood pressure find this method simple and convenient. But the problem here is medicine. At present, among five groups of medicine circulated in Vietnam, there are two naturally-extracted medicines which don’t have any side-effects since they are produced from herbal plants. However, they’re just anti-inflammatory, diuretic and can’t solve the problem radically.
‘For creating an effective medicine, scientists all over the world have been trying to make some products from natural materials, semi-synthetic, or chemical synthetic. But up to now there hasn’t been an effective product which can reduce the size of tumors and cure benign prostatic hyperplasia absolutely in Vietnam, as well as in the world.’ Dr. Tram said.
It’s not surprising that optimal features of Crinum latifolium L. among common people have attracted scientists’ attention. That must be the reason why Dr. Tram has set the early objective for reaching international market from the very first day of researching.