https://doi.org/10.4081/aiua.2026.15916
Postoperative administration of a combination of Phycocyanin, PEA and Selenium following prostatic deobstructive surgery: a preliminary clinical study
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Accepted: 27 August 2026
Published: 25 September 2026
Background: Irritative urinary symptoms and postoperative pain are common after prostatic deobstructive surgery for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and may negatively affect early postoperative recovery and quality of life. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combination of Phycocyanin, PEA and Selenium administered during the first postoperative period in patients undergoing TransUrethral Resection of the Prostate (TURP) and Thulium transurethral VapoResection of the Prostate (ThuVaRP).
Methods: A preliminary clinical study conducted at the Urology Unit of the Istituto Clinico Città degli Studi in Milan included 197 patients undergoing prostatic deobstructive surgery for BPH. Patients received the natural complex (2 capsules/day) for 30 days after surgery. Outcomes were assessed using the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), the related Quality of Life (QoL) index, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain, and clinical observations.
Results: Within 30 days after surgery, patients treated with a combination of Phycocyanin, PEA and Selenium showed a 40-60% reduction in IPSS score, with marked improvement in dysuria and urgency-related symptoms, and a 2-3 point reduction in QoL score. VAS pain scores decreased progressively over the first five postoperative days. After four weeks, the mean IPSS reduction reached 10 points. Approximately 70% of treated patients reported no clinically significant postoperative complications.
Conclusions: These preliminary findings suggest that a combination of Phycocyanin, PEA and Selenium may be effective in reducing irritative urinary symptoms, postoperative pain, and complications, while improving quality of life following prostatic deobstructive surgery.
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Ethics Approval
CRediT authorship contribution
GS: data collection, clinical follow-up, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript original drafting. VS: data collection, contribution to manuscript writing. SDS: data collection, contribution to manuscript writing. GF: clinical followup, contribution to manuscript editing. GDP: data collection, clinical follow-up. ASC: data collection, clinical follow-up FAM: data collection, study concept. ALM: data collection, clinical follow-up. MS: study concept, data analysis and interpretation, manuscript original drafting. All authors read and approved the final version of the manuscript and agreed to be accountable for all aspects of the work.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.
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