{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,20]],"date-time":"2026-10-20T17:36:52Z","timestamp":1792517812175,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":29,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"3","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757548800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medical Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Chronic prostatitis\/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP\/CPPS) is a prevalent condition characterized by pelvic pain and urinary symptoms with multifactorial aetiology. Standard treatments, including alpha-blockers, often have limited long-term effectiveness. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of a standardized pollen extract (Deprox\u00ae 500), alone or in combination with alpha-blockers, in reducing CP\/CPPS symptoms and the need for rescue medication. Methods: This prospective, multicentre study included 207 male patients with CP\/CPPS treated at two Romanian urology centres between January 2023 and January 2025. Patients were divided into three groups: Group A\u2014alpha-blocker monotherapy; Group B\u2014standardized pollen extract monotherapy; and Group C\u2014combination therapy with standardized pollen extract and alpha-blocker. Symptom severity and treatment response were evaluated using the validated English versions of the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and International Index of Erectile Function-5 (IIEF-5), all of which were translated into Romanian for use in this study. Results: Groups B and C both demonstrated significantly greater reductions in pelvic pain and urinary symptoms compared to Group A (p = 0.01), with marked improvements in NIH-CPSI and IPSS. Conclusions: A standardized pollen extract used alone or in combination with an alpha-blocker significantly improved CP\/CPPS symptoms and reduced the need for NSAID rescue medication. These findings support its potential as a safe and effective therapeutic option.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medsci13030186","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]],"date-time":"2025-09-11T14:23:50Z","timestamp":1757600630000},"page":"186","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Clinical Evaluation of a Pollen-Extract-Based Phytotherapy Compared to Conventional Therapies in Chronic Prostatitis and Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4146-9131","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Marius","family":"Iv\u0103nu\u021b\u0103","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"\u201cGrigore T Popa\u201d, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Urology, \u201cDr. C.I. Parhon\u201d Clinical Hospital, 700503 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Morphological and Spectroscopic Analysis of Urinary Stones\u201d Michel Daudon\u201d, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-3453-1251","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Drago\u0219","family":"Puia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"\u201cGrigore T Popa\u201d, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Urology, \u201cDr. C.I. Parhon\u201d Clinical Hospital, 700503 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Morphological and Spectroscopic Analysis of Urinary Stones\u201d Michel Daudon\u201d, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Alin Adrian","family":"Cump\u0103na\u0219","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department XV, Discipline of Urology, \u201cVictor Babes\u201d University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timisoara, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ana-Maria","family":"Iv\u0103nu\u021b\u0103","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Emergency Department, \u201cSt. Spiridon\u201d Emergency Clinical County Hospital, 700111 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Veaceslav","family":"Groza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Urology, \u201cDr. C.I. Parhon\u201d Clinical Hospital, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"C\u0103t\u0103lin","family":"Pricop","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"\u201cGrigore T Popa\u201d, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Department of Urology, \u201cDr. C.I. Parhon\u201d Clinical Hospital, 700503 Iasi, Romania"},{"name":"Center for Morphological and Spectroscopic Analysis of Urinary Stones\u201d Michel Daudon\u201d, 700503 Iasi, Romania"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,11]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"133","DOI":"10.1002\/pros.2990260305","article-title":"Identification of a Prostate Inhibitory Substance in a Pollen Extract","volume":"26","author":"Habib","year":"1995","journal-title":"Prostate"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"141","DOI":"10.1016\/j.juro.2012.08.088","article-title":"The Prevalence and Overlap of Interstitial Cystitis\/Bladder Pain Syndrome and Chronic Prostatitis\/Chronic Pelvic Pain Syndrome in Men: Results of the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology Male Study","volume":"189","author":"Suskind","year":"2013","journal-title":"J. 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