[Study on the estrogenic effects of isoflavone].

OBJECTIVE

The study aimed to investigate the endocrine disruptive toxicity of isoflavone in vivo, through comparing with genistein, to study main active parts of isoflavone in estrogenic active, also.

METHODS

Uterotrophic assay was carried out. 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1.5 g/kg bw isoflavone, 0.05, 0.10, 0.25, 7.50 g/kg bw genistein, 3.0 microg/kg estradiol as positive control, water and oil as control were respectively administered orally to the animal for 3 consecutive day. In the end of the test, uterine wet and blotted weight, histopathology of ovary, uterus and vaginal were measured. Finally, all the effects caused by isoflavone and geinistein were compared.

RESULTS

Both isoflavone and genistein induce uterine weight increase significantly; histopathology of uterus and vagina showed that both isoflavone and genistein induce proliferation; there are dose-response relationship; in the related dose level, isoflavone and genistein caused similar effects.

CONCLUSION

In uterotrophic assay, genistein was the main active part of isoflavone; via oral administration to immature prepuberty rat, isoflavone had endocrine disruptive effects which had obviously dose-response relationship.