phytoestrogens and Hyperlipidemias

Phytoestrogens are bioactive substances existing in natural plants. They have similar molecular structure to those of estrogens. In this article we introduced their classification and sources, and elucidated their effects on heart from aspects involving cardiac function and myocardial electrophysiology. By regulating serum lipid metabolism, arterial vessels, cytokine levels, and coagulation/fibrinolysis system, phytoestrogens possess the effects of anti-atherosclerosis and may be used to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.

Topics: Arteriosclerosis; Cardiovascular Diseases; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Isoflavones; Phytoestrogens; Phytotherapy

Flaxseed oil contains lignans, which exhibit anti-inflammatory and antiatherogenic activities. A 70-year-old male patient presented to our office due to hyperlipidaemia and started to take a tablespoon of flaxseed oil daily. Three months later, he reported left breast swelling and pain. Although the echogram revealed a tumour in the left mammary gland, the breast biopsy was compatible with gynecomastia, showing ductal hyperplasia without evidence of malignancy. His breast epithelia were oestrogen receptor-positive. Potential role of phytoestrogens was discussed.

Topics: Aged; Gynecomastia; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lignans; Linseed Oil; Male; Phytoestrogens

Curcuma comosa Roxb. (C. comosa) or Wan Chak Motluk, Zingiberaceae family, has been used in Thai traditional medicine for the treatment of gynecological problems and inflammation.. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of C. comosa by determining the changes in the lipid profiles in the ovariectomized rats, as a model of estrogen-deficiency-induced hyperlipidemia, after treatment with different components of C. comosa using an untargeted lipidomics approach.. Lipids were extracted from the serum of adult female rats subjected to a sham operation (SHAM; control), ovariectomy (OVX), or OVX with 12-week daily doses of estrogen (17β-estradiol; E. Levels of five classes of lipids (ceramide, ceramide-1-phosphate, sphingomyelin, 1-O-alkenyl-lysophosphatidylethanolamine and lysophosphatidylethanolamine) were elevated in the OVX rats compared to those in the SHAM rats, while the monoacylglycerols and triacylglycerols were decreased. The E. The findings suggest the potential beneficial effects of C. comosa on preventing the increased ceramide levels in OVX rats, a possible cause of metabolic disturbance under estrogen deficiency. Overall, the results demonstrated the power of untargeted lipidomics in discovering disease-relevant biomarkers, as well as evaluating the effectiveness of treatment by C. comosa components (DPHD, extract or powder) as utilized in Thai traditional medicine, and also providing scientific support for its folklore use.

Topics: Animals; Biomarkers; Chromatography, Liquid; Curcuma; Diarylheptanoids; Discriminant Analysis; Disease Models, Animal; Estradiol; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Ethanol; Female; Heptanol; Hyperlipidemias; Hypolipidemic Agents; Lipids; Metabolomics; Multivariate Analysis; Ovariectomy; Phytoestrogens; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts; Plants, Medicinal; Powders; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Rhizome; Solvents; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

This study aimed to ascertain the optimal range of red clover dry extracts (RC) and dried pomegranate concentrate powder (PCP) to induce anti-climacteric effects. Thus, the dose ranges showing protective effect of mixed formulae consisting of RC and PCP were examined in ovariectomized mice. At 28 days after bilateral ovariectomy (OVX), mixed herbal compositions (RC:PCP = 1:1, 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 2:1, 4:1, and 8:1) were administered orally, at 120 mg/kg once daily for 84 days. We evaluated that RC and PCP mixture attenuate OVX-caused obesity, hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and osteoporosis. Compared to OVX-induced control mice, body weight and abdominal fat weight in OVX-induced mice were significantly decreased, concomitantly with increase of uterus weight by RC:PCP mixture. Additionally, significant increases in serum estradiol levels were observed in all RC:PCP-treated mice. RC:PCP mixture also showed protective effect against OVX-induced hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis. Total body and femur mean bone mineral density (BMD), osteocalcin, bALP contents were effectively increased by RC:PCP mixture. Taken together, RC:PCP mixture (2:1, 1:1, and 4:1) has remarkable protective effects against the changes induced by OVX. In particular, RC:PCP mixture (2:1) shows the strongest effect and may be considered as a potential protective agent against climacteric symptoms.

Topics: Animals; Animals, Outbred Strains; Anti-Obesity Agents; Biomarkers; Bone Density Conservation Agents; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Fatty Liver; Female; Fruit; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Lipid Regulating Agents; Lythraceae; Mice; Obesity; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal; Phytoestrogens; Plant Extracts; Plant Leaves; Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; Trifolium

We examined the phytoestrogenic effects of palmiwon on breast carcinoma, lipid accumulation in methyl-β-cyclodextrin-induced HepG2 cells, and lipid-related diseases in a rat model of menopausal hyperlipidemia.. E-Screen assay was used to screen for phytoestrogens, especially those with antiestrogenic activity, in MCF-7 cells. Oil Red O staining and intracellular cholesterol analyses were used to quantify cellular cholesterol levels. 3-Hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase assay was used to measure enzyme activity. The levels of phosphorylated adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinases and products of genes involved in cholesterol synthesis were measured by Western blot analysis. Thirty rats were either ovariectomized or sham-operated and randomly assigned to four groups (n = 5)-Sham, OVX, OVX-SV, or OVX-PMW (50, 150, or 450 mg/kg) group-for 8 weeks. A number of targets associated with lipid-related diseases were examined to confirm the estrogenic effects of palmiwon.. Palmiwon showed antiestrogenic activity in MCF-7 cells. Palmiwon decreased lipid accumulation, total cholesterol levels, and low-density lipoprotein/very-low-density lipoprotein levels in HepG2 cells. Moreover, palmiwon reversed the effects of methyl-β-cyclodextrin on cholesterol synthesis regulators and inhibited the activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase. Phosphorylation of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase was stimulated by palmiwon. In ovariectomized rats, palmiwon reduced retroperitoneal and perirenal fat accumulation, serum lipids, atherogenic index, cardiac risk factor score, intima-media thickness, and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis scores.. These results indicate that palmiwon inhibits lipid accumulation without estrogenic activity in the breast. Therefore, palmiwon may have potential as a therapeutic agent for the treatment of hyperlipidemia in postmenopausal women.

Topics: Animals; beta-Cyclodextrins; Breast Neoplasms; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; Cholesterol; Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases; Drugs, Chinese Herbal; Estrogens; Female; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Hydroxymethylglutaryl CoA Reductases; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Hyperlipidemias; Lipid Metabolism; Lipids; Lipoproteins, LDL; MCF-7 Cells; Menopause; Models, Animal; Phosphorylation; Phytoestrogens; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

To evaluate the effect of estrogen replacement therapy or soy isoflavones supplement on endothelium-dependent relaxation in vitro and gene expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in cerebral arteries in a rabbit model of human hypercholesterolemia.. Thirty-six female ovariectomized Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits were randomised to treatment with 17beta-estradiol (17beta-E(2)), SoyLife 150 or control for 16 weeks. Ring segments of basilar artery (BA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) were mounted in myographs for isometric tension recordings. Concentration response curves to carbamylcholine chloride, sodium nitroprusside (SNP) and l-NAME were evaluated after precontraction with potassium. Total RNA was extracted, reverse transcribed and eNOS quantitated by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR).. Plasma cholesterol was significantly higher at termination in the SoyLife group (P<0.0001), whereas low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol was comparable in all treatment groups. Neither treatment influenced the endothelium-dependent responses to carbamylcholine chloride or l-NAME or the endothelium-independent response to SNP in any of the arteries. Correspondingly, eNOS mRNA was similarly expressed in all treatment groups in both arteries.. Improvement of cerebral endothelial function by estrogen or soy isoflavones in ovariectomized WHHL rabbits is not supported by the present data. The findings may be unique to the WHHL rabbit in which the hypocholesterolemic effect of estrogens mediated by upregulation of liver LDL receptors is excluded.

Topics: Animals; Basilar Artery; Cholesterol, LDL; Disease Models, Animal; Endothelium, Vascular; Estradiol; Estrogen Replacement Therapy; Female; Hyperlipidemias; Isoflavones; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; Ovariectomy; Phytoestrogens; Posterior Cerebral Artery; Rabbits; Random Allocation; Up-Regulation; Vasodilation

Herbal remedies high in phytoestrogens have been shown to reduce serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) and have been proposed as a treatment for prostate cancer. Soy proteins used to lower serum cholesterol are rich sources of phytoestrogens. Therefore, we assessed the effect of soy consumption on serum PSA in men who had participated in cholesterol lowering studies.. For 3 to 4 weeks 46 healthy middle-aged men with a range of starting PSA values took soy (mean 44 gm. soy protein daily, 116 mg. isoflavones daily) or control foods, and a subgroup of men took a lower level of soy supplements for 3 months. PSA was measured at the start and end of each treatment.. Soy had no significant effect on serum total or free PSA, independent of PSA starting value or isoflavone intake. The lack of effect on PSA was seen, although soy intake was sufficient to reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (5.8 +/- 2.2%, p = 0.012), the estimated coronary heart disease risk (6.1 +/- 2.8% for 10 years, p = 0.032) and the serum concentration of oxidized low-density lipoprotein measured as conjugated dienes (9.5 +/- 3.4%, p = 0.008) in the 3 to 4-week study. In addition, the lack of effect of soy on PSA persisted for the 3 months of the extended study.. At levels of soy intake which reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol any potential benefits of soy consumption on prostate cancer are likely to occur for reasons other than alterations in hormone activity.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Cholesterol; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Humans; Hyperlipidemias; Isoflavones; Lipoproteins, LDL; Male; Middle Aged; Oxidation-Reduction; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Prostate-Specific Antigen; Soybean Proteins

To evaluate the effect of estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) on the functional characteristics of coronary and cerebral arteries in a new rabbit model for postmenopausal vascular function.. Female ovariectomized Watanabe heritable hyperlipidemic (WHHL) rabbits were randomized to treatment for 16 weeks with either 17 beta-estradiol or placebo. The chow used was semi-synthetic, thereby avoiding the influence of phytoestrogens. Ring segments of cerebral and coronary arteries were mounted for isometric tension recordings in myographs. The passive and active length-tension relationships for electromechanical (high potassium), pharmacomechanical (histamine) and combined electro- and pharmacomechanical (high potassium plus histamine) contraction were evaluated.. Treatment with 17 beta-estradiol significantly changed the active length-tension relationship for the electromechanical response in the proximal coronary arteries. No changes were observed for the passive length-tension relationships.. Long-term treatment with 17 beta-estradiol lowered the electromechanical tonus of atherosclerotic coronary arteries proximally, where the atherosclerosis is most developed. This could be one of the mechanisms behind the putative protective effect of hormone replacement therapy against ischemic heart disease. The study presents a promising new animal model for the investigation of postmenopausal coronary and cerebral artery function. The data correspond well with epidemiological observations in postmenopausal women.

Topics: Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Brain; Cerebral Arteries; Coronary Artery Disease; Coronary Circulation; Coronary Vessels; Disease Models, Animal; Estradiol; Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; Female; Hyperlipidemias; Isoflavones; Myography; Phytoestrogens; Plant Preparations; Postmenopause; Rabbits; Random Allocation