Does 2’-hydroxygenistein inhibit the endometrial proliferation? A preliminary study

Abstract

Isoflavones, due to their claimed or demonstrated beneficial biological activities, have attracted great interest and gained popularity among the public. On the risk of endometrial hyperplasia, conflicting findings for such compounds have been reported and genistein has been intensively studied. Studies also indicated that 2’-hydroxylation of isoflavones can lead to beneficial components with superior bioactivity compared to isoflavones lacking this substituent. Till now there is no study evaluating the effect of 2’-hydroxygenistein on endometrial hyperplasia in vivo. In line with this, a 3-day uterotrophic assay was carried out to evaluate the effect of 2’-hydroxygenistein on the uterus as its endometrial hyperplasia is of significant clinical concern. Daily subcutaneous administration of 2’-hydroxygenistein significantly (p ≤ 0.05) increased uterine wet weight at 2 and 8 mg/kg/day, while it reduced (p ≤ 0.05) uterine epithelial height at all tested doses. In contrast, no significant variation was observed on vaginal epithelial height. As global result, it appears that 2’-hydroxygenistein might exhibit anti-proliferative effects in the uterus, while having no effect on the vagina. However, this aspect needs to be further investigated.