慢性攝護腺炎/慢性骨盆腔疼痛症候群患者的病情多變，因此在治療時也常讓醫師傷透腦筋，特別是病情較為複雜的患者，接受常規治療之後，常常沒有辦法獲得有效的緩解，也因此，醫學界一直在找尋有效可行的輔助療法，花粉萃取物就屬於其中之一。

本研究於2009年發表在European Urology, 是少數關於花粉萃取物進行的多中心、前瞻性隨機雙盲人體實驗。作者群從德國34個泌尿科醫療中心，招募139位男性進行12週的花粉萃取物治療Category III 收案條件為：18至65歲男性，過去3個月內至少有3個月有骨盆腔疼痛的症狀 ；NIH-CPSI分數≥7分，攝護腺按摩後的前段尿中(VB3) 白血球數目≥10/HPF。 排除條件為泌尿道/攝護腺感染患者(尿液中驗出菌量 >10^3CFU )，有性病病史或副睪丸炎病史、攝護腺手術史(包括切片)、泌尿道癌病史者；殘尿>50ml、過去4週內曾使用alpha-blocker或是可進入攝護腺內的抗生素或植物性製劑、有尿道炎病史且過去4週有有尿道分泌物出現、過去6個月內有使用會影響攝護腺的荷爾蒙藥物。

招募的患者皆會接受250mg的azithromycin一天以清除潛在的病原菌。之後隨機分為兩組，分別接受花粉萃取物(每8小時口服2顆膠囊，每顆膠囊內含活性物質：60毫克的Cernitin T60與3毫克的Cernitin GBX)或是安慰劑(外觀重量相同，但將活性物質去除的膠囊)

開始治療後6及12週，分別評估兩組的NIH-CPSI 分數(包括疼痛分數、生活品質分數)、攝護腺按摩後的尿液內白血球、IPSS分數及性生活滿意度

實驗結果，在治療12週之後，使用花粉萃取物治療的組別，其疼痛分數、生活品質以及NIH-CPSI分數都有顯著的改善。若將NIH-CPSI分數下降25%或至少下降6分定義為”治療有反應”，使用花粉萃取物組有70.6%的患者有治療反應，顯著高於使用安慰劑組的50% (p=0.0141)。兩個組別皆未出現嚴重副作用

在台灣市面上販賣的眾多植物萃取物中，有不少經由小規模的實驗認為可能對慢性骨盆腔疼痛症候群患者有所助益，其中真正經由較嚴謹實證研究--隨機分派雙盲試驗--證實療效的成分非常的少，Cernilton這種藥物屬於其中之一，而證明其療效的隨機分派雙盲試驗就是本篇研究。Cernilton主要的活性成分是由黑麥草(Rye grass)花粉所萃取出的來的物質—cernitin，目前也經由衛生福利部食品藥物管理署核准作為藥物上市。

值得一提的是，實驗也進行了安慰劑組與使用花粉萃取物組治療後的尿液分析，發現兩組的尿液中白血球數量並沒有差異，暗示尿液中的白血球未必與治療效果有關連。另外，使用安慰劑的組別中竟然有高達50%的患者表示病情有改善，此一安慰劑效應也暗示了或許患者的認知也會影響病情的變化

Background:
National Institutes of Health (NIH) category III prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a prevalent condition for which no standardised treatment exists. Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of a standardised pollen extract in men with inflammatory CP/CPPS.

Design, setting, and participants:
We conducted a multicentre, prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study comparing the pollen extract (Cernilton) to placebo in men with CP/CPPS (NIH IIIA) attending urologic centres. Intervention: Participants were randomised to receive oral capsules of the pollen extract (two capsules q8 h) or placebo for 12 wk.

Measurements:
The primary endpoint of the study was symptomatic improvement in the pain domain of the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI). Participants were evaluated using the NIH-CPSI individual domains and total score, the number of leukocytes in post–prostatic massage urine (VB3), the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the sexuality domain of a life satisfaction questionnaire at baseline and after 6 and 12 wk.

Results and limitations:
In the intention-to-treat analysis, 139 men were randomly allocated to the pollen extract (n = 70) or placebo (n = 69). The individual domains pain ( p = 0.0086) and quality of life (QoL; p = 0.0250) as well as the total NIH-CPSI score ( p = 0.0126) were significantly improved after 12 wk of treatment with pollen extract compared to placebo. Response, defined as a decrease of the NIH-CPSI total score by at least 25% or at least 6 points, was seen in the pollen extract versus placebo group in 70.6% and 50.0% ( p = 0.0141), respectively. Adverse events were minor in all patients studied.

Conclusions:
Compared to placebo, the pollen extract significantly improved total symptoms, pain, and QoL in patients with inflammatory CP/CPPS without severe side-effects.