Amounts Of Phytoestrogens Research Articles

Soy-Enriched Bread, a Pilot Study to Determine Its Beneficial Effects in Menopause

Menopause is the last step in the reproductive history of a woman. The ovaries stop producing hormones and the body reacts by lowering its functions, including the cognitive one. Phytoestrogens are plant products with the estrogen-like activity which are able to mimic many of estrogen’s functions. The aim of the present experiment was to study the effects of 30 days of regular consumption of soy-enriched bread containing a known amount of phytoestrogens (genistein and daidzein) in climacteric or menopausal women. Thirty women at different stages of menopause (climacteric, within 5 years of menopause, more than 5 years of menopause) were asked to include 200 g/die of bread containing 40 mg of phytoestrogens in their diet. The effect of the regular consumption of this bread on common menopausal symptoms and cognitive parameters was determined before and after 30 days through questionnaires and experimental tests. Phytoestrogens were measured in the urine. Twenty-five women completed the study. Independence of the menopause stage, there was a significant increase of phytoestrogens in the urine and a decrease of the classical symptoms (i.e., hot flushes). Moreover, the women showed a significant improvement in attentional performance tests, the quality of life index and pain intensity. Phytoestrogens would be an important supplement in aging women due to their ability to induce estrogen-like effects without the potential side effects of estrogens. Their presence in soy-enriched bread, a food commonly present in meals, avoids consideration of their consumption as a drug.

The Stimulatory Effect of Strontium Ions on Phytoestrogens Content in Glycine max (L.) Merr.

The amount of secondary metabolites in plants can be enhanced or reduced by various external factors. In this study, the effect of strontium ions on the production of phytoestrogens in soybeans was investigated. The plants were treated with Hoagland’s solution, modified with Sr2+ with concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 3.0 mM, and were grown for 14 days in hydroponic cultivation. After harvest, soybean plants were separated into roots and shoots, dried, and pulverized. The plant material was extracted with methanol and hydrolyzed. Phytoestrogens were quantified by HPLC. The significant increase in the concentration of the compounds of interest was observed for all tested concentrations of strontium ions when compared to control. Sr2+ at a concentration of 2 mM was the strongest elicitor, and the amount of phytoestrogens in plant increased ca. 2.70, 1.92, 3.77 and 2.88-fold, for daidzein, coumestrol, genistein and formononetin, respectively. Moreover, no cytotoxic effects were observed in HepG2 liver cell models after treatment with extracts from 2 mM Sr2+-stressed soybean plants when compared to extracts from non-stressed plants. Our results indicate that the addition of strontium ions to the culture media may be used to functionalize soybean plants with enhanced phytoestrogen content.

Phytoestrogens dietary intake and health status of retiree from middle-north Slovakia region

Phytoestrogens found in foods of plant origin presents chemical substances that possess a wide range of biochemical benefits. It has been found that they contribute in different health related problems. A wide range of commonly consumed foods contain appreciable amounts of phytoestrogens. Consumption of diet rich to phytoestrogen acts as a protective factor against many diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, post-menopausal symptoms in the context of osteoporosis, cancerous illnesses of colon, prostate and breast. Three main classes of phytoestrogens covers: isoflavones, lignans and coumestans. Selected nine major phytoestrogens had been analyzed simultaneously in the same foods. Questionnaire designed to determine intake frequency as well as amount of selected foods and the most common diseases presented in the population has been used to find relationships between dietary habits and health status. Evaluation of selected goals in the present study has been realized in cooperation with 140 respondents in retired age (divided into Males - covered by 34 individuals and Females - 106 individuals), comming from middle-north Slovakia region. On the base of collected data it can be concluded, that evaluated population is presented by high values of lignans intake and particularly secoisolariciresinol, mainly caused by relative high proportion of cereals and linseed in the diet. Furthermore, the relationship between phytoestrogens intake and eating habits as well as its contribution in protection against selected diseases was demonstrated.

Combined effects of urinary phytoestrogens metabolites and polymorphisms in metabolic enzyme gene on idiopathic male infertility

Phytoestrogens are plant-derived compounds that may interact with estrogen receptors and mimic estrogenic effects. It remains unclear whether the individual variability in metabolizing phytoestrogens contributes to phytoestrogens-induced beneficial or detrimental effects. Our aim was to determine whether there is any interaction between metabolic rates (MR) of phytoestrogens and genetic polymorphisms in related xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme genes. MR was used to assess phytoestrogen exposure and individual metabolic ability. The amount of phytoestrogens in urine was measured by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in 600 idiopathic infertile male patients and 401 controls. Polymorphisms were genotyped using the SNPstream platform combined with the Taqman method. Prototypes and metabolites of secoisolariciresinol (SEC) have inverse effects on male reproduction. It was found that low MR of SEC increased the risk of male infertility (OR 2.49, 95 % CI 1.78, 3.48, P trend = 8.00 × 10(-8)). Novel interactions were also observed between the MR of SEC and rs1042389 in CYP2B6, rs1048943 in CYP1A1, and rs1799931 in NAT2 on male infertility (P inter = 1.06 × 10(-4), 1.14 × 10(-3), 3.55 × 10(-3), respectively). By analyzing the relationships between urinary phytoestrogen concentrations, their metabolites and male infertility, we found that individual variability in metabolizing SEC contributed to the interpersonal differences in SEC's effects on male reproduction.

Mesquite pod extract modifies the reproductive physiology and behavior of the female rat

Phytoestrogens are non steroidal compounds that can bind to estrogen receptors, mimicking some effects of estradiol (E2). These compounds are widespread among legumes, which are used as pasture, and their importance in animal agriculture has increased. Mesquite (Prosopis sp) is a widespread legume, widely used to feed several livestock species in Mexico. The main product of mesquite is the pod, which is considered high quality food. As a legume, it could be assumed that mesquite contains some amounts of phytoestrogens which might induce potential estrogenic effects. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports regarding the possible estrogenic activity of this legume either in livestock or in animal models such as the rat. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the potential estrogenic effects of mesquite pod extract on several aspects of behavior and reproductive physiology of the female rat. The effects of the extract were compared with those of E2 and two isoflavones: daidzein (DAI) and genistein (GEN). The following treatments were given to groups of intact and ovariectomized (OVX) female rats: vehicle; mesquite pod extract; E2; GEN; DAI. Compared to vehicle groups, mesquite pod extract, DAI, GEN, and E2 increased uterine weight and induced growth in vaginal and uterine epithelia. In intact rats, mesquite pod extract, GEN and DAI altered estrous cyclicity, decreased lordotic quotient and intensity of lordosis. In OVX rats, mesquite pod extract, DAI and GEN induced vaginal estrus, increased vaginal epithelium height, and induced lordosis, although its intensity was reduced, compared with intact rats in estrus and E2-treated rats. These results suggest that mesquite pod extract could have estrogenic activity. However, the presence of phytoestrogens in this legume remains to be confirmed.

Phytoestrogen Content of Cereals and Cereal-Based Foods Consumed in the UK

Dietary phytoestrogens may be involved in the occurrence of chronic diseases. Reliable information on the phytoestrogen content in foods is required to assess dietary exposure and disease risk in epidemiological studies. However, there is little information on isoflavone, lignan, and coumestrol content of cereals and cereal-based foods, leading to an underestimation of intake. This is the first study of phytoestrogens (isoflavones: biochanin A, daidzein, formononetin, genistein, glycitein; lignans: matairesinol, secoisplariciresinol; coumestrol) in a comprehensive selection of 101 cereals and cereal-based foods—including breads, breakfast cereals, biscuits, pasta and rice—consumed in the UK using a sensitive LCMS technique with 13 C-labelled internal standards. Phytoestrogens were detected in all foods analyzed; bread contained the highest amount of phytoestrogens—many as isoflavones—with an average content of 375 ± 67 μ g/100 g wet weight (excluding soya-linseed bread with 12,000 μ g/100 g). Most other foods contained less than 100 μ g/100 g, many as lignans. Our study shows that all foods analyzed contained phytoestrogens, with the highest amount found in breads, making them one of the main sources of dietary phytoestrogens in the UK. These results will allow a more accurate estimation of exposure to dietary phytoestrogens.

Determination of phytoestrogens in traditional medicinal herbs using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

Quantitative analytical methods for the 17 phytoestrogens containing isoflavonoids, lignans, and mycoestrogens in herbs were developed, and the amount of phytoestrogens was determined in 22 traditional medicinal herbs. The focus of this study was to simplify the purification procedure for removing many kinds of interferences in herbs, and to select adequate derivatization reagent for getting desirable selectivity and sensitivity in the quantitative determination of phytoestrogens. To satisfy these goals, we performed a solid-phase extraction with Oasis HLB cartridges following enzymatic and acidic hydrolysis, and we used the mixture of MSTFA/NH 4I/DTE (1000:4:5, v/w/w) to form TMS derivatives of phytoestrogens. Overall recovery was more than 84% in all of the phytoestrogens, and the limit of quantification for phytoestrogens in herbs were set at 0.2 μg/g. Coefficient of variation percentages were in the range of 0.18–15.68% (within-day) and 0.23–16.61% (day-to-day), respectively. Most of the isoflavonoids and lignans were found in all of the herbs, but mycoestrogens were not detected at all. The Leguminosae family proved to be the richest source of isoflavonoids. Lignans such as enterodiol and enterolactone were detected at low concentration in most of the herbs. These results indicate that this assay is accurate and reliable for the determination of phytoestrogens in herbs. Also, information regarding the phytoestrogen contents in traditional medicinal herbs is useful in the prevention and treatment of chronic diseases such as cancer, osteoporosis, dementia, and cardiovascular disease.

Clinical use of soy products

Epidemiological data suggest that Asian women have a lower incidence of hot flushes compared to Western women as well as a lower incidence of coronary artery disease and estrogen-dependent cancers such as that of the breast. Soy is a staple ingredient of the traditional oriental diet and contains large quantities of phytoestrogens. These compounds have an oestrogen-like structure and their use has been proposed in the treatment of the postmenopausal women as a new improved form of “natural” selective oestrogen receptor modulators (SERM). Women with contra-indications to the use of conventional oestrogen replacement, or simply wanting a more “natural” alternative to relieve their distressing menopausal symptoms are increasingly requesting information about the efficacy of these forms of diet supplementation. Several clinical trials on vasomotor symptoms have been performed to date using various forms of phytoestrogens supplementation, sometimes with contradictory results. These trials differed in many aspects such as design, number of patients recruited, types and amount of phytoestrogens used. This presentation will critically review the clinical data available to date in an attempt to answer some of the most commonly asked questions about dose and type of phytoestrogens supplementation most likely to be effective for climacteric symptoms relief.

HPLC-MS/MS method for the measurement of seven phytoestrogens in human serum and urine.

The elevated exposure of children to hormonally active dietary phytoestrogens has led to the need for rapid, sensitive, and precise assays for phytoestrogen metabolites in physiological matrices. Here we report the development of a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) MS/MS method for the quantitative detection of seven phytoestrogens in human serum and urine. The method uses enzymatic deconjugation of the phytoestrogen metabolites followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) and reverse-phase HPLC. The phytoestrogens are detected using a Sciex API III heated nebulizer atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (HN-APCI) interface coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. This method allows the detection of the primary dietary phytoestrogens (isoflavones and lignans) in human serum and urine with limits of detection (LODs) in the low parts per billion range. The combination of tandem mass spectrometry and chromatographic separation of the analytes helps ensure the selectivity of the method. Stable isotope-labeled internal standards for all seven analytes improve the precision of the assay, resulting in interday CV values of < 10% for most compounds studied. The accuracy and precision of the method were monitored over time using quality control (QC) samples containing known amounts of phytoestrogens. The majority of phytoestrogens in human sera and urine are present as their glucuronide and sulfate conjugates. Therefore, the thoroughness of deconjugation for each sample was monitored by the addition of a conjugated internal standard and subsequent detection of deconjugated compound. This method proves to be efficacious for measuring baseline urinary phytoestrogen levels in the American population and should prove useful for assessing the modulatory effects of dietary phytoestrogens on endocrine disrupter action in children.