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This Article Accepted manuscript (PDF) All Versions of this Article: JOE-08-0127v1 198/2/395    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Böttner, M. Articles by Wuttke, W. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Böttner, M. Articles by Wuttke, W.

M Böttner, Anatomy, University of Kiel, Kiel, D-24118, Germany
J Christoffel, Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany
W Wuttke, Clinical and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany

Correspondence: Martina Böttner, Email: m.boettner{at}anat.uni-kiel.de

Abstract

After the heart and estrogen/progestin replacement study and the women‘s health initiative study the prospect of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) on cardiovascular diseases (CVD) has changed dramatically. These findings led to various attempts to search for alternatives for classical HRT, e.g. phytoestrogens. The flavanone 8-prenylnaringenin (8-PN) was identified as a phytoestrogen with strong estrogen receptor- activity. As the pituitary and the liver are targets for estrogen action we assessed the effect of ovariectomy (OVX) and long-term treatment (3 months) with estradiol benzoate (E2B) and 8-PN on pituitary and liver function in adult OVX rats. Tested doses were 6.8 and 68.4 mg/kg body weight (BW) of 8-PN and 0.17 and 0.7 mg/kg BW of E2B. Our results demonstrate that 8-PN and E2B decreased body weight and increased uterus weight. The high doses of E2B and 8-PN increased serum GH and decreased serum IGF-1 levels. E2B dose-dependently decreased cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL), and high density lipoprotein (HDL) concentrations in OVX rats. The high dose of 8-PN showed an estrogenic activity regarding cholesterol and LDL regulation but had no effect on HDL concentrations. In contrast, the low dose of 8-PN augmented HDL levels compared to intact rats. Triglyceride levels were raised in response to the high E2B dose but unaffected by 8-PN treatment. Taken together, 8-PN displays an anti-artheriosclerotic profile that appears to be even more beneficial than the one displayed by E2B and thus, might demonstrate a remarkable potential for the prevention of CVD associated with estrogen deficiency.