Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2012;34(1):22-27
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032012000100005
PURPOSE: Evaluate the effects of ipriflavone during fetogenesis, since no studies have been conducted to assess its effect during this period. METHODS: 60 pregnant rats were divided randomly into four groups (n=15). G-control (1 mL of distilled water) and three groups treated intragastrically with ipriflavone from the 16th to the 20th post coitus (PC) day: G-300 (300 mg/kg), G-1,500 (1,500 mg/kg) and G-3,000 (3,000 mg/kg). The animals were weighed, anaesthetized intraperitoneally with xylazine and ketamine at doses of 180 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg, respectively, and sacrificed by total exsanguination on the 21st day. A complete blood count was performed and serum cholesterol, triglycerides, AST, ALT, urea, creatinine, and glucose were determined in pregnant rats. After laparotomy, the liver, kidneys, adrenals, spleen and ovaries were removed and weighed; fetuses and placentas were also weighed to obtain the average weight of the litters. Four fetuses (two males and two females) were chosen at random for the determination of the length and weight of brain, liver, kidneys and lungs. Statistical analysis: ANOVA followed by Dunnett's test. For raw data without normal distribution and homoscedasticity, we used the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by the Mann-Whitney test. Proportions were analyzed by the χ² test (p<0.05). RESULTS: Triglyceride levels (mg/dL) were: Control-G (138.8±21.8), G-300 (211.2±63.9) G-1,500 (251.5±65.2) G-3,000 (217.7±49.6); p<0.05. The body weight of fetuses (g) was: G-Control (male 3.3±0.3; female 3.1±0.3), G-300 (male 3.4±0.2; female 3.1±0.4), G-1,500 (male 3.5±0.3; female 3.2±0.3), G-3,000 (male 3.4±0.5; female 3.1±0.4). CONCLUSION: Ipriflavone did not cause maternal toxicity, but increased triglyceride levels and reduced hematocrit at higher doses. The body and organ weights of the fetuses did not change with dam treatment. There were no external malformations or fetal deaths.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2011;33(9):264-269
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032011000900008
PURPOSE: to evaluate the effects of high doses of genistein on the mammary glands of adult female rats. METHODS: Twenty-eight days after oophorectomy, 50 adult female rats were divided into five groups, as follows: a control group (Ctrl), three rats that received genistein (GEN) at the doses of 46 mg/kg (GEN46;), 125 mg/kg (GEN125) and 250 mg/kg (GEN250); one group received conjugated equine estrogen at the dose of 50 µg/g (ECE50). The substances were administered daily for 30 consecutive days by gavage and in the last week of the period of treatment, colpocytological exams were carried out for seven consecutive days. After treatment, the animals were anesthetized, blood samples were collected for estradiol and progesterone determination and the first pair of inguinal mammary glands was removed and processed for histomorphometric analysis. Collected data were subjected to analysis of variance supplemented by the Tukey-Kramer test (p<0.05). RESULTS: the ctrl group and the ones treated with different doses of GEN showed atrophic mammary glands, whereas the glands were more developed in the ECE group, where numerous mammary ducts and alveoli were observed. Morphometry showed a larger area of mammary parenchyma in the ECE group (98.870.1±550.4 µm²* per mm²; p<0.05) compared with other groups (Ctrl=36.875.6±443.4; GEN46=37.001.7±557.4; GEN125=36.480.8±658.3 and GEN250=37.502.8±669.3). The same occurred in the number of alveoli in the ECE group (33.2±6.9* per mm²; p<0.05) compared to the other groups (Ctrl=10.4±2.1, GEN46=11.2±3.1; GEN125=11.6±2.1 and GEN250=12.3±2.3). The estradiol level was higher in the ECE group compared to the other groups (9.4±1.7 pg/mL; p<0.05), whereas serum levels of progesterone were similar in all groups. CONCLUSION: the administration of genistein at high doses had no trophic effect on the mammary glands of rats.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2007;29(10):532-537
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032007001000007
PURPOSE: to determine the effects of soy-derived isoflavone on hot flashes, menopausal symptoms, and endometrial thickness in postmenopausal women. METHODS: this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized study involved 90 postmenopausal patients aged 45-60 years old attended at the Outpatient Menopause Clinic. All patients had been experiencing hot flashes accompanied or not by other hypo-estrogenic symptoms. Patients were randomized to receive either two soy capsules containing 50 mg of soy-derived isoflavone or two identical placebo capsules, twice a day for 12 weeks in a double-blind fashion. Each patient was observed for 12 weeks, with two evaluations being made, one at baseline and the other at the end of the study. At each time point, the patients were given a diary to record the severity of the climacteric symptoms experienced, assessed with a modified Kupperman index, using a 100 mm Visual Analogue Scale (VAS). The intensity of hot flashes was also assessed separately. The patients were also submitted to a transvaginal echography for the measurement of endometrial thickness. Yates chi2, ANOVA or t de Student and Mann-Whitney were used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: no significant difference was detected in the Kupperman index (64 versus 82, p>0,05) or in the hot flashes (20 versus 20, p>0,05) between the isoflavone and placebo groups. No significant difference was either detected concerning the Kupperman index and hot flashes before and after treatment, when the two groups were analyzed separately. No difference was detected in the endometrial thickness either in the isoflavone or the placebo group (0.28 versus 0.26 mm, respectively, p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: our results indicate that 100 mg of isoflavone are not more effective than placebo in reducing hot flashes and hypo-estrogenic symptoms in postmenopausal women and present no effect on the endometrium thickness.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(4):227-231
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000400004
PURPOSE: to evaluate histomorphometric changes in the rat myometrium upon treatment with isoflavones, as compared with estrogens, using histological and morphometric techniques. METHODS: twenty-eight oophorectomized adult rats were randomly divided into four treatment groups: GPropi = propylene glycol (control); GExtr10 - 10 mg/kg soybean extract; GExtr300 - 300 mg/kg soy bean extract; GCee - 200 µg/kg conjugated equine estrogens (Cee). Drugs or drug vehicle were administered by gavage once a day for 21 days. Upon sacrifice, the uteri were removed and weighed. Fragments of uterine horns were collected and fixed in 10% formaldehyde and processed for paraffin inclusion. The histological sections were stained by hematoxylin and eosin and evaluated microscopically by means of an image analyzer to quantify the myometrial thickness and the number of blood vessels and eosinophils. The data were studied by analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey-Kramer multiple comparison test. RESULTS: isoflavones in the concentration of 300 mg/kg induced a significant increase in the myometrium thickness (GExtr300=25.6±5.0 mm) compared to control (GPropi=5.5±0.5 mm). The effect of this high dose is similar to the estrogen effect (GCee=27.5±7.9 mm). In low doses (10 mg/kg), the effect was similar to control. Isoflavones (GExtr300) induced also an increase in the number of blood vessels (GPropi=3.5±1.6; GExtr300=10.2±3.6 vessels/mm²) and of eosinophils (CPropi=0.15±0.01; GExtr300=4.3±0.9 eosinophils/mm²). These effects were comparable to those produced by Cee treatment in GCee (9.2±1.1 eosinophils/mm²). CONCLUSION: a high-dose treatment with isoflavones (300 mg/kg per day, 21 days) elicited an estrogen-like, highly significant proliferative action on the rat myometrium.
Summary
Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia. 2006;28(2):91-100
DOI 10.1590/S0100-72032006000200004
PURPOSE: to evaluate the efficacy of the use of isoflavones in the treatment of depressive symptoms in climacteric women. METHODS: placebo-controlled, randomized double-blind experimental study with 84 climacteric women who were assisted at the Lauro Wanderley University Hospital Ambulatory, in João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil. In the evaluation of the depressive symptoms the Self-evaluation questionnare of Hamilton's rating scale for depresion (QAEH-D) was used in the pretreatment visit (VT1), and in the 8th (VT2) and 16th (VT3) week after treatment. The experimental group (GExp) received soy extract with isoflavones, 120 mg per day, and the control group (GCont), placebo. The comparison of the scores of the QAEH-D between the VT1, VT2 and VT3 groups constituted the primary measure of efficacy (t test, p<0.05). Secondary analysis included the estimate of the "domino hypothesis" and the clinical and laboratory evaluation of side effects. RESULTS: there was a significant reduction of the QAEH-D scores in the GExp (VT2