Abstract
Pygeum africanum, a member of the Rosaceae family, is an evergreen species found across the entire continent of Africa at altitudes of 3,000 feet or higher. It grows up to 150 feet tall. Interest in the species began in the 1700s when European travelers learned from South African tribes how to soothe bladder discomfort and treat “old man’s disease” with the bark of P. africanum.1 Pygeum bark extract has been used in Europe since the mid-1960s to treat men suffering from benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).2 Currently, Pygeum is the most commonly used medicine in France for BPH, backed by many double-blind studies pointing to its efficacy for reducing its symptoms.