Potential Efficacy of Polyphenols and Isothiocyanates in the Management of Genitourinary Diseases: A Systematic Review of Preclinical and Clinical Studies

The global burden of genitourinary diseases is increasing worldwide, highlighting the need to identify new approaches for their prevention and treatment. In this context, polyphenols, isothiocyanates derived from plants of the Brassicaceae and Moringaceae botanical families, along with their natural sources, represent promising strategies, as they exhibit several health-promoting properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic effects. However, a comprehensive overview of their benefits in the genitourinary system is currently unavailable. In this paper, we performed a systematic review of the literature by searching two scientific databases (MEDLINE and Scopus). A total of 27 preclinical studies and 16 clinical studies were included. Many studies have investigated the efficacy of isolated polyphenols in animal models of genitourinary diseases, as well as extracts or foods typically rich in polyphenols in humans, demonstrating potential benefits in the management of lithiasis, hyperoxaluria, prostatitis, benign prostatic hyperplasia, glomerulonephritis, vaginal dysbiosis, vaginosis, cystitis, and urinary tract infections. In contrast, few studies have examined isolated isothiocyanates, probably because their pharmacological role has only recently been recognized, and the results have been inconsistent. Further high-quality research is needed to confirm the preliminary evidence on polyphenols and to clarify the biological effects of isothiocyanates and their natural sources in this field.