The Research Behind UROLO-Q

The research behind UROLO-Q

An advanced formula for men needing sustained anti-inflammatory support. Two research-backed phytotherapies. Sustained-release delivery. Reviewed by urologists.

UROLO-Q is Sunn Biolabs' advanced formula for men with chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) who need sustained anti-inflammatory support. It combines two of the most-studied phytotherapies in CP/CPPS research — quercetin and flower pollen extract — with the proteolytic enzymes bromelain and papain, delivered in a sustained-release capsule format. This page summarizes the published research behind each component, with links to the original studies on PubMed.

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. UROLO-Q is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.

BUILT ON SCIENCE  |  CLINICALLY INFORMED  |  UNCOMPROMISINGLY CLEAN

Cleveland Clinic  ·  UCLA  ·  Cedars-Sinai  ·  Queen's University  ·  Providence  ·  Keck Medicine of USC

Members of our Medical Advisory Board and formulation consultants hold academic and clinical appointments at these institutions.

ON THIS PAGE

  • About chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS)
  • The research behind UROLO-Q — ingredient by ingredient
  • What makes UROLO-Q different
  • Part of a multi-modal approach
  • Full references

About CP/CPPS

What is chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome, and why is it hard to treat?

A common condition with few good answers

Chronic prostatitis / chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS), classified by the National Institutes of Health as NIH Category III prostatitis, affects approximately 8% of adult men across pooled population studies (range 2.2–9.7% depending on case definition) [1]. Symptoms typically include pelvic or perineal pain, urinary urgency or discomfort, and flares that can persist for months or years.

Why antibiotics often don't solve it

CP/CPPS is the non-bacterial form of prostatitis. Unlike NIH Category II (chronic bacterial prostatitis, which represents fewer than 10% of chronic prostatitis cases), Category III CP/CPPS is not primarily driven by bacterial infection. This is why antibiotic courses so often fail to resolve symptoms. Two landmark NIH-funded randomized trials support this:

  • Nickel et al. 2003 found that six weeks of levofloxacin was not associated with significantly greater symptom improvement than placebo in men with CP/CPPS [2].
  • Alexander et al. 2004 found that six weeks of ciprofloxacin, tamsulosin, or the combination did not substantially reduce symptom scores compared with placebo in men with longstanding CP/CPPS [3].

The standard measure: NIH-CPSI

The NIH Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index (NIH-CPSI), developed and validated by the NIH Chronic Prostatitis Collaborative Research Network in 1999, is the standard outcome measure used in CP/CPPS clinical trials. It covers three domains: pain (4 items), urinary function (2 items), and quality-of-life impact (3 items) [4]. When we cite clinical trials on this page, "improvement in NIH-CPSI scores" is the measure referenced.

The multi-modal approach: UPOINT phenotyping

Because CP/CPPS presents differently in different men, urologists increasingly use a six-domain phenotyping system called UPOINT (Urinary, Psychosocial, Organ-specific, Infection, Neurologic/systemic, Tenderness of pelvic muscles) to guide treatment [5]. Under this framework, evidence-based phytotherapy — including quercetin and flower pollen extract — is commonly used to address the "Organ-specific" domain alongside other targeted interventions.

UROLO-Q is designed to fit within this multi-modal approach, not to replace it.

The research behind UROLO-Q

What's in the formula, and what's the evidence?

UROLO-Q builds on the Prosta-Q-style "quercetin + proteolytic enzymes" foundation pioneered by urologist Dr. Daniel Shoskes, and extends it with a second anchor phytotherapy — flower pollen extract — that has its own independent CP/CPPS clinical trial base. The two actives target overlapping but distinct inflammatory pathways.

Quercetin + Flower Pollen Extract — the dual-anchor combination

Quercetin and flower pollen extract are the two phytotherapies with the strongest direct CP/CPPS clinical evidence. Both have dedicated peer-reviewed reviews in the same 2011 Urologic Clinics of North America issue — Shoskes on quercetin [7] and Wagenlehner on pollen extract [12] — treated as complementary chapters of the phytotherapy CP/CPPS evidence base.

Quercetin (from Quercetin Dihydrate)

Quercetin is a plant bioflavonoid and the first of UROLO-Q's two anchor actives.

The foundational trial. In 1999, Shoskes and colleagues published a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial of oral quercetin (500 mg twice daily for one month) in 30 men with NIH Category III chronic prostatitis. The quercetin group showed significantly greater improvement in NIH-CPSI symptom scores than the placebo group [6]. This trial is the foundation of the modern evidence base for quercetin in CP/CPPS.

Dedicated review. The lead investigator of the original trial — published a dedicated review of quercetin for CP/CPPS in Urologic Clinics of North America in 2011, summarizing the clinical evidence and describing how quercetin fits into UPOINT-directed multimodal care [7].

Cochrane systematic review. The 2019 Cochrane systematic review of pharmacological interventions for CP/CPPS — covering 99 trials and 9,119 men — concluded that phytotherapy (including quercetin) "probably produces a small decrease in prostatitis symptoms without a greater incidence of adverse events compared with placebo," with moderate- to low-certainty evidence [8].

Mechanism of action. Beyond the clinical trials, quercetin has a well-characterized anti-inflammatory mechanism:

  • A 2016 review in Nutrients summarized how quercetin modulates inflammatory signaling pathways (NF-κB, MAPK) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) [9].
  • A 2012 study in PLoS ONE demonstrated that quercetin inhibits the release of inflammatory mediators from human mast cells — relevant because mast cell activation is a recognized mechanism in CP/CPPS pathophysiology [10].

Flower Pollen Extract (Rye Pollen)

Flower pollen extract — a standardized extract of rye and related grass pollens, historically delivered as Cernilton, Graminex, Prostat/Poltit, and related preparations — is the second anchor active in UROLO-Q and the ingredient that most distinguishes it from Sunn Biolabs' foundational formula PROSTUROL. Pollen extract has been studied in men with CP/CPPS for more than three decades.

The anchor phase 3 RCT. In 2009, Wagenlehner and colleagues published a multicentre, randomized, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial of pollen extract (Cernilton) in 139 men with inflammatory (NIH Category IIIA) CP/CPPS, conducted over 12 weeks. Pollen extract was associated with significantly greater improvement than placebo in NIH-CPSI total score (p=0.0126), pain subscale (p=0.0086), and quality-of-life subscale (p=0.0250). A clinically meaningful response (≥25% or ≥6-point reduction in NIH-CPSI) was observed in 70.6% of the pollen group versus 50.0% of placebo (p=0.0141), with no significant safety signals. The trial was published in European Urology, a leading peer-reviewed urology journal [11].

Dedicated review. Wagenlehner and colleagues published a dedicated review of pollen extract for CP/CPPS in Urologic Clinics of North America in 2011 — the companion review to Shoskes's 2011 quercetin review, in the same issue. The review characterized pollen extract as a reasonable long-term phytotherapeutic option in CP/CPPS given its anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, and smooth-muscle effects alongside a favorable tolerability profile [12].

Foundational 1993 trial. Rugendorff and colleagues conducted a six-month prospective study of Cernilton N in 90 men with chronic prostatitis syndrome, reporting a favorable response in 78% of men without complicating anatomical factors (36% symptom-free, 42% significantly improved), with improvements in uroflowmetry, leucocyturia, and seminal inflammatory markers, and 97% tolerability [13]. This is the foundational pollen-in-prostatitis study still widely cited today.

Second RCT. Elist 2006 conducted a six-month double-blind placebo-controlled randomized trial of the pollen extract preparation Prostat/Poltit in 60 men with refractory chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/CPPS (symptomatic over six months and unresponsive to prior therapies). Pollen extract was associated with significantly greater improvement than placebo across pain, voiding, storage, and sexual symptom domains [14].

Systematic review. Cai and colleagues' 2017 systematic review in BMC Urology analyzed all published clinical trials of flower pollen extract in CP/CPPS (10 studies through June 2016, including 4 RCTs). The review concluded that flower pollen extracts — most commonly Graminex (a standardized rye, corn, and timothy pollen mixture) — were associated with significant improvements in total symptom scores, pain, and quality of life in men with inflammatory CP/CPPS, with no significant safety signals [15].

Active-comparator RCT. Aoki and colleagues (2015) conducted an eight-week randomized active-comparator trial of 100 men with category III CP/CPPS, comparing pollen extract (Cernilton) against the multi-herbal comparator Eviprostat. The two arms showed equivalent improvements in NIH-CPSI total, pain, urinary, and quality-of-life scores, with no adverse events reported in either arm [16].

Mechanism of action. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of flower pollen extract has been characterized in both preclinical and clinical work:

  • A 2017 biomarker study in World Journal of Men's Health reported that treatment with flower pollen extract plus B vitamins was associated with a significant reduction in seminal plasma IL-8 levels in men with CP/CPPS, and the magnitude of IL-8 reduction correlated with quality-of-life improvement — linking the clinical response to a measurable anti-inflammatory signal [17].
  • Published reviews report preclinical evidence that pollen extract modulates prostaglandin and leukotriene synthesis, reduces pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α), and relaxes bladder and urethral smooth muscle [12][15].

Bromelain and Papain — formulation synergy

Bromelain is a proteolytic (protein-digesting) enzyme from pineapple stem; papain is a proteolytic enzyme from papaya. In UROLO-Q they are included as the same proteolytic-enzyme pairing that Dr. Shoskes described as foundational to the original Prosta-Q formulation lineage.

Anti-inflammatory support. A 2012 review in Biotechnology Research International summarized bromelain's proteolytic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-edematous properties across multiple therapeutic contexts [18]. A 2004 review of bromelain in osteoarthritis reported that oral bromelain was associated with improvements in pain and swelling across early-phase clinical studies [19].

Absorption of co-administered actives. Quercetin has notoriously low oral bioavailability on its own. Combining quercetin with proteolytic enzymes — specifically bromelain and papain — is the formulation rationale Dr. Shoskes described in his 2003 review in World Journal of Urology for his original CP/CPPS supplement work [20]. UROLO-Q carries that quercetin-plus-enzymes structure forward as the absorption-adjunct backbone of the formula.

Calcium (from Calcium Carbonate)

UROLO-Q provides 75 mg of calcium per two-capsule serving, sourced from calcium carbonate. At this level, calcium carbonate contributes to the physical structure of the capsule and acts as a mild acid buffer that helps keep the finished capsule non-acidic and easy on sensitive systems. It is not intended as a clinically active agent in the formula.

Sustained-release delivery format

UROLO-Q is delivered in a sustained-release capsule format, designed to extend the window of time over which its active ingredients are released into the digestive tract. The scientific rationale for sustained-release polyphenol delivery is well-established in the pharmacokinetic literature:

  • Graefe and colleagues (2001) documented that native quercetin from food sources shows low and variable oral bioavailability, with plasma levels peaking within hours of ingestion and declining rapidly — establishing the bioavailability gap that formulation technology is designed to address [21].
  • Riva and colleagues (2019) reported that a lecithin-based phytosome delivery format was associated with roughly 20-fold greater plasma quercetin exposure (AUC) than unformulated quercetin in healthy adults, demonstrating the scale of the bioavailability improvement achievable with modern delivery formats [22].
  • A 2023 pharmacokinetic crossover study in healthy adults reported that formulated quercetin preparations achieved blood concentration increases of approximately 255% to 1460% relative to unformulated quercetin, with sustained-release and lipid-encapsulated products showing markedly higher and longer exposure profiles [23].

UROLO-Q-specific clinical research pipeline

The exact quercetin / rye flower pollen / bromelain / papain quartet in UROLO-Q is listed as a distinct formulation entry in the National Cancer Institute Drug Dictionary. A Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial of this ingredient quartet (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04252625) is studying the combination in a separate post-radiation context — specifically, men with radiation-induced prostatitis following brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer [24].

Important framing: The NCT04252625 trial is in radiation-induced prostatitis following brachytherapy — a different clinical indication from spontaneous (idiopathic) Category III CP/CPPS. We cite this trial as an ongoing research credential for the exact UROLO-Q ingredient quartet, not as evidence that UROLO-Q has been clinically studied for CP/CPPS. The evidence base relevant to UROLO-Q's use in CP/CPPS is the ingredient-level trial base described above.

What makes UROLO-Q different

How UROLO-Q differs from generic "prostate support" supplements — and from Sunn Biolabs' PROSTUROL

Flower pollen extract as a second anchor active

Sunn Biolabs' foundational PROSTUROL formula is built around quercetin as the single CP/CPPS-studied anchor. UROLO-Q extends that approach by adding flower pollen extract — a phytotherapy with its own independent clinical trial base in CP/CPPS, including the Wagenlehner 2009 phase 3 RCT in European Urology and the Cai 2017 systematic review of four RCTs and ten total clinical studies. Quercetin and flower pollen extract target overlapping but distinct inflammatory pathways (NF-κB modulation, pro-inflammatory cytokine reduction, mast cell effects for quercetin; IL-8 and broader cytokine reduction, smooth muscle relaxation for pollen), so the combination is designed to address CP/CPPS inflammatory biology from more than one angle.

Sustained-release delivery format

UROLO-Q is formulated as a sustained-release capsule, designed to extend the window over which its active ingredients are released into the digestive tract. The published pharmacokinetic literature supports sustained-release and bioavailability-enhancing delivery formats as a general strategy for improving plasma exposure to polyphenols like quercetin [21][22][23]. UROLO-Q's specific capsule matrix has not been separately tested in peer-reviewed clinical trials; we present the sustained-release format as a formulation design choice, not as a claim of clinical superiority.

Digestive enzymes for absorption

Like PROSTUROL, UROLO-Q includes bromelain and papain alongside quercetin. This is the same formulation rationale the original 1999 quercetin CP/CPPS trial was based on, and described in the 2003 review in World Journal of Urology: proteolytic enzymes support the absorption of co-administered actives like quercetin [20]. UROLO-Q carries this quercetin-plus-enzymes backbone forward and layers flower pollen extract on top.

A recognized ingredient combination

The exact quercetin / rye flower pollen / bromelain / papain quartet in UROLO-Q is listed as a distinct named formulation entry in the National Cancer Institute Drug Dictionary, and the same ingredient quartet is being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT04252625) in a separate post-radiation prostatitis context [24]. We do not claim this credentials UROLO-Q for CP/CPPS — only that the ingredient combination is recognized and under active clinical investigation.

Pharmaceutical-grade manufacturing

UROLO-Q is manufactured in a GMP-certified facility to pharmaceutical-grade quality standards. Each batch is assayed for ingredient identity, potency, and contaminants before it leaves the facility. This is not the standard across the dietary supplement industry — it's the standard Sunn Biolabs sets because our customers include men who've been chasing symptom relief for years and deserve formulas made to the same rigor as prescription manufacturing.

Refined by a Medical Advisory Board

UROLO-Q's formulation is reviewed and refined by Sunn Biolabs' Medical Advisory Board, a group of practicing urologists with expertise in chronic prostatitis, pelvic pain, and men's urologic health. Our MAB reviews ingredient selection, dosing, manufacturing protocols, and clinical evidence on an ongoing basis.

Part of a multi-modal approach

UROLO-Q is designed to contribute to the "Organ-specific" domain of a UPOINT-guided multimodal approach to CP/CPPS care — not to replace professional diagnosis or comprehensive treatment. Men experiencing persistent pelvic pain, urinary symptoms, or other symptoms consistent with CP/CPPS should work with a qualified urologist to build a phenotype-directed care plan.  UPOINT-directed multimodal therapy is associated with meaningful symptom improvement in the majority of treated men [25].

Full references

All citations are peer-reviewed and PubMed-indexed (or, for NCT04252625, registered on ClinicalTrials.gov). Click a PubMed ID (PMID) to read the original paper.

  1. Krieger JN, Lee SW, Jeon J, et al. Epidemiology of prostatitis. Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2008;31 Suppl 1:S85–90. PMID: 18164907
  2. Nickel JC, Downey J, Clark J, et al. Levofloxacin for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome in men: a randomized placebo-controlled multicenter trial. Urology. 2003;62(4):614–7. PMID: 14550427
  3. Alexander RB, Propert KJ, Schaeffer AJ, et al. Ciprofloxacin or tamsulosin in men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized, double-blind trial. Ann Intern Med. 2004;141(8):581–9. PMID: 15492337
  4. Litwin MS, McNaughton-Collins M, Fowler FJ Jr, et al. The National Institutes of Health chronic prostatitis symptom index: development and validation of a new outcome measure. J Urol. 1999;162(2):369–75. PMID: 10411041
  5. Shoskes DA, Nickel JC, Dolinga R, Prots D. Clinical phenotyping of patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome and correlation with symptom severity. Urology. 2009;73(3):538–42. PMID: 19118880
  6. Shoskes DA, Zeitlin SI, Shahed A, Rajfer J. Quercetin in men with category III chronic prostatitis: a preliminary prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Urology. 1999;54(6):960–3. PMID: 10604689
  7. Shoskes DA. Quercetin for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Urol Clin North Am. 2011;38(3):279–84. PMID: 21798389
  8. Franco JV, Turk T, Jung JH, et al. Pharmacological interventions for treating chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;10(10):CD012552. PMID: 31587256
  9. Li Y, Yao J, Han C, et al. Quercetin, inflammation and immunity. Nutrients. 2016;8(3):167. PMID: 26999194
  10. Weng Z, Zhang B, Asadi S, et al. Quercetin is more effective than cromolyn in blocking human mast cell cytokine release. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(3):e33805. PMID: 22470478
  11. Wagenlehner FME, Schneider H, Ludwig M, Schnitker J, Brähler E, Weidner W. A pollen extract (Cernilton) in patients with inflammatory chronic prostatitis-chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a multicentre, randomised, prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase 3 study. Eur Urol. 2009;56(3):544–51. PMID: 19524353
  12. Wagenlehner FME, Bschleipfer T, Pilatz A, Weidner W. Pollen extract for chronic prostatitis–chronic pelvic pain syndrome. Urol Clin North Am. 2011;38(3):285–92. PMID: 21798390
  13. Rugendorff EW, Weidner W, Ebeling L, Buck AC. Results of treatment with pollen extract (Cernilton N) in chronic prostatitis and prostatodynia. Br J Urol. 1993;71(4):433–8. PMID: 8499988
  14. Elist J. Effects of pollen extract preparation Prostat/Poltit on lower urinary tract symptoms in patients with chronic nonbacterial prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Urology. 2006;67(1):60–3. PMID: 16413333
  15. Cai T, Verze P, La Rocca R, Anceschi U, De Nunzio C, Mirone V. The role of flower pollen extract in managing patients affected by chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a comprehensive analysis of all published clinical trials. BMC Urol. 2017;17(1):32. PMID: 28431537
  16. Aoki Y, Yasuda K, et al. Eviprostat has an identical effect compared to pollen extract (Cernilton) in patients with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a randomized, prospective study. BMC Urol. 2015;15:120. PMID: 26643109
  17. Cai T, Wagenlehner FME, Luciani LG, et al. The clinical efficacy of pollen extract and vitamins on chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome is linked to a decrease in the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-8. World J Mens Health. 2017;35(2):120–128. PMCID: PMC5583369
  18. Pavan R, Jain S, Shraddha, Kumar A. Properties and therapeutic application of bromelain: a review. Biotechnol Res Int. 2012;2012:976203. PMID: 23304525
  19. Brien S, Lewith G, Walker A, et al. Bromelain as a treatment for osteoarthritis: a review of clinical studies. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2004;1(3):251–7. PMID: 15841258
  20. Shoskes DA, Manickam K. Herbal and complementary medicine in chronic prostatitis. World J Urol. 2003;21(2):109–13. PMID: 12720037
  21. Graefe EU, Wittig J, Mueller S, et al. Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of quercetin glycosides in humans. J Clin Pharmacol. 2001;41(5):492–9. PMID: 11361045
  22. Riva A, Ronchi M, Petrangolini G, Bosisio S, Allegrini P. Improved oral absorption of quercetin from Quercetin Phytosome®, a new delivery system based on food grade lecithin. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet. 2019;44(2):169–177. PMID: 30328058
  23. Solnier J, et al. A pharmacokinetic study of different quercetin formulations in healthy participants: a diet-controlled, crossover, single- and multiple-dose pilot study. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2023;2023:9727539. PMCID: PMC10435304
  24. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04252625. Trial of Quercetin, Bromelain, Rye Flower Pollen & Papain on Reducing Severity of Radiation-Induced Prostatitis. Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04252625. The same quercetin/rye flower pollen/bromelain/papain combination is recognized as a distinct entry in the NCI Drug Dictionary.
  25. Shoskes DA, Nickel JC, Kattan MW. Phenotypically directed multimodal therapy for chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome: a prospective study using UPOINT. Urology. 2010;75(6):1249–53. PMID: 20363491

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. UROLO-Q is a dietary supplement and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Individual results may vary. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any new dietary supplement, particularly if you have a medical condition, are taking prescription medications, or have known allergies to grass pollens, pineapple (bromelain), or papaya (papain). The peer-reviewed research cited on this page summarizes studies of individual ingredients and of related formulations; it does not constitute clinical evidence specific to UROLO-Q as a finished product. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04252625 is a Phase 2 trial of the UROLO-Q ingredient quartet in radiation-induced prostatitis following brachytherapy — a different clinical indication from idiopathic Category III CP/CPPS.