Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran
2
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.
3
Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of New Sciences and Technologies, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.30491/tm.2026.533587.1853
Abstract
Introduction: Inflammatory prostatitis (IP) is a common clinical condition associated with persistent pelvic pain, inflammation, and increased oxidative stress, all of which negatively affect male quality of life and reproductive function. Given the limited effectiveness of existing therapeutic interventions, this study presents the first methodological analysis of the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of zeolite (ZEO) in a carrageenan-induced IP rat model.
Method: Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to five experimental groups: Sham, IP, Cernilton, ZEO-IP, and ZEO-Oral. Prostatitis was induced by carrageenan injection, and the corresponding treatments were administered over three weeks. Serum levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-17 (IL-17) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Histopathological analysis was performed to assess inflammatory infiltration, epithelial hyperplasia, and local hyperemia in prostate tissue.
Result: The highest levels of PSA, IL-6, and IL-17 were observed in the IP group, whereas the ZEO-treated groups showed reductions in these markers. However, these reductions were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Histopathological examination revealed that the severe inflammation observed in the IP group was reduced in the ZEO-treated groups, particularly in the ZEO-Oral group.
Conclusion: ZEO demonstrated a promising therapeutic effect in IP, improving prostatic architecture by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Notably, histopathological analysis showed greater resolution of inflammatory pathology, hyperplasia, and hyperemia in ZEO-treated cohorts compared to changes in quantitative biomarkers such as PSA, IL-6, and IL-17. Although these biomarker reductions were not statistically significant, they suggest that ZEO may serve as a complementary treatment for IP. Further research is warranted to confirm its clinical efficacy.
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