phytoestrogens and ipriflavone

Topics: Bone Density; Breast Neoplasms; Cholesterol; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Female; Hormone Replacement Therapy; Hot Flashes; Humans; Isoflavones; Menopause; Osteoporosis; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Soybean Proteins

To investigate the therapeutic effects of ipriflavone on postmenopausal syndrome and osteoporosis in women.. A randomized and double-blind study was conducted. Sixty postmenopausal women with osteoporosis were chosen and they were randomly divided into three groups: Treatment group I was given oral compound calcium acid chelate and Vitamin AD guttate; treatment group II was given oral compound calcium acid chelate, Vitamin AD guttate and ipriflavone; Control group was given placebo and compound calcium acid chelate. The postmenopausal syndrome, bone mineral density (BMD), and bone biochemical markers were assessed 6 and 12 months after the treatment.. In treatment group II, hot flush and ostalgia syndromes were dramatically relieved, BMD and serum calcium level increased markedly and alkaline phosphatase, parathyroid hormone and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase decreased markedly, comparing with treatment group I and control group (p < 0.05).. Ipriflavone could inhibit bone resorption and promote bone formation. It is an effective drug for the prevention and treatment to menopausal syndrome and osteoporosis. Ipriflavone could be used as a supplement to estrogen replacement treatment.

Topics: Acid Phosphatase; Adult; Alanine Transaminase; Bone Density; Bone Remodeling; Calcium; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Isoenzymes; Isoflavones; Menopause; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Parathyroid Hormone; Phosphorus; Phytoestrogens; Statistics, Nonparametric; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase

To assess the pattern of biochemical markers of bone metabolism and vertebral bone mineral density in early postmenopausal women treated with combined ipriflavone and low dose conjugated estrogens.. Bone biochemical markers and vertebral bone density were evaluated in a longitudinal, comparative, 2 year study conducted in postmenopausal women treated with sole calcium supplementation (500 mg/day), or with either ipriflavone (IP) at the standard dose (600 mg/day) plus the same calcium dose, low dose conjugated estrogens (CE) (0.3 mg/day) plus calcium, or low dose IP (400 mg/day) plus low dose CE (0.3 mg/day) plus calcium. The results were analyzed by repeated measures analysis of variance, as appropriate.. No modifications of both urinary excretion of hydroxyproline and plasma osteocalcin levels were observed in calcium and in CE-treated women, while vertebral bone density significantly decreased (P < 0.0001) in both groups. In IP or IP + CE-treated women, plasma osteocalcin did not show any modification, while urinary hydroxyproline showed a significant (P < 0.05) decrease, that paralleled a significant (P < 0.05) increase in vertebral bone density.. Postmenopausal IP administration, at the standard dose of 600 mg/day, can prevent the increase in bone turnover and the decrease in bone density that follow ovarian failure. The same effect can be obtained with the combined administration of low dose (400 mg/day) IP with low dose (0.3 mg/day) CE.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Adult; Bone Density; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Female; Humans; Isoflavones; Longitudinal Studies; Middle Aged; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Postmenopause; Time Factors

The present study was undertaken to evaluate whether estrogen deprivation might lead to mitochondrial alteration of hippocampal neurons of ovariectomized (OVX) rats, and to evaluate the protective effect of estrogen and phytoestrogen on the mitochondrial alteration. First, OVX rats were used to mimic the pathologic changes of neurodegeneration of postmenopausal female, and we looked into the alteration of the mitochondrial ultrastructure and ATP content of hippocampal CA1 region after ovariectomy on different phase by transmission electron microscope (TEM) and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and found the best phase points of the alteration of the mitochondrial ultrastructure and ATP content. Next, estrogen and phytoestrogen were administered to the OVX rats for the protective effects on the mitochondrial ultrastructure and ATP content. Meanwhile, the density, size, shape, and distribution parameters of mitochondrial ultrastructure were analyzed according to the morphometry principle. The experimental results presented that (1) The alteration of mitochondrial ultrastructure elicited by ovariectomy worsened with the days going on, and the changes were the most noteworthy in volume density (Vv), average surface area (S), specific surface area (delta), and particle dispersity (Clambdaz) on 12th day (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, there was no statistical significance of the numerical density (Nv) among the five groups in the first step experiment. (2) The treatment with estrogen, genistein (Gs), and ipriflavone (Ip) significantly reversed the effect elicited by ovariectomy on Vv, S, delta, Clambdaz, Nv, and particle average diameter (D) of mitochondria of hippocampal CA1 region (P < 0.05). (3) Furthermore, ATP content of hippocampal CA1 region after ovariectomy declined significantly on 7th day (P < 0.05), and estrogen and phytoestrogen could reverse the alteration (P < 0.05). Taken together, these results revealed that phytoestrogen may have a protective role against the neurodegeneration after menopause via protecting mitochondrial structure and functions. Phytoestrogen may be a good alternative as a novel therapeutic strategy for menopausal syndrome.

Topics: Adenosine Triphosphate; Animals; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Estradiol; Estrogens; Female; Genistein; Hippocampus; Isoflavones; Mitochondria; Neurons; Neuroprotective Agents; Ovariectomy; Phytoestrogens; Rats

Recently, dietary phytoestrogens (PEs) have been suggested as possible alternatives to estrogen therapy, as a means of preventing bone loss associated with ovarian hormone deficiency. PEs are non-steroidal, plant-derived compounds that exhibit some estrogen-like activity in some tissues, and which appear to prevent postmenopausal bone loss. While PEs act directly on bone cells, their protective effect on bone may be partly due to their ability to enhance Ca absorption.. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of two dietary PEs (coumestrol and apigenin) as well as a synthetic PE, ipriflavone, on Ca absorption in human Caco-2 intestinal-like cells.. Caco-2 cells were seeded onto permeable filter supports and allowed to differentiate into monolayers. On d 21, the Caco-2 monolayers (n 10-16 per treatment), grown in estrogen-free or low-estrogen media, were then exposed to 10 nM-1,25 (OH)2 D3, or 50 microM ipriflavone, -coumestrol or -apigenin for 48 hours. After exposure, transepithelial and transcellular transport of 45Ca and fluorescein transport (a marker of paracellular diffusion) were measured.. As expected, 1,25 (OH)2 D3 stimulated Ca absorption. Treatment with coumestrol or apigenin had no effect on Ca transport. On the other hand, ipriflavone increased total Ca transport (by about 1.5-fold, P < 0.05) under low-estrogen conditions, but not under estrogen-free conditions. This increase in total Ca transport by ipriflavone was via an increased transcellular Ca transport (by about 2-fold, P < 0.05) relative to control.. In conclusion, the protective effect of dietary PE on bone mass would appear to be due to their direct effect(s) on bone cells, as opposed to an indirect effect on bone by stimulation of intestinal Ca absorption.

Topics: Apigenin; Biological Transport; Bone and Bones; Caco-2 Cells; Calcium; Coumestrol; Humans; Intestinal Absorption; Isoflavones; Phytoestrogens

Ipriflavone (IP), a synthetic isoflavone, prevents bone loss associated with ovarian hormone deficiency in women and animal models. This protective effect of IP may be partly due to its ability to enhance calcium absorption. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of IP and 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) on in vitro intestinal calcium transport in an ovariectomized rat model using E(2) as a positive control. Forty-eight 90-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: one sham-operated (sham) and three ovariectomized groups. The ovx groups were either control (ovx), supplemented with IP (100 mg/kg body weight daily) via gavaging (ovx+IP), or injected with E(2) (10 microg/kg body weight) (ovx+E(2)). Animals were fed diets containing 0.4% calcium, 0.3% phosphorus, and 0.195 nmol vitamin D(3)/g for 35 days from the date of surgery. Animals were exsanguinated, and isolated cells from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and colon were used to measure in vitro calcium uptake. Calcium uptake by duodenal cells was significantly greater in the IP and E(2)-treated animals compared with the ovx control group. In addition, calcium uptake by the ileal and colonic cells of the E(2)-treated animals was significantly greater compared with all the other groups. The results confirm our earlier findings implicating a role for estrogen in duodenal calcium uptake. The findings also indicate that IP, although less potent than estrogen, significantly enhances calcium uptake in the duodenum, the active site of calcium absorption.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Biological Transport; Body Weight; Bone Remodeling; Calcium; Cell Separation; Creatinine; Eating; Estradiol; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Female; Intestinal Absorption; Intestinal Mucosa; Isoflavones; Organ Size; Ovariectomy; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Uterus; Vitamin D