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 PARENT SESSION
OVARY - B
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
10:30 AM–12:30 PM
Buchanan Courtyard
(486) EFFECTS FROM YOUNG-COCONUT-JUICE ESTRADIOL ON OVARIECTOMIZED RATS.
Radenahmad, Nisaudah1, Kitja, Sawangjaroen2, Uraporn, Vongvatcharanon1, Patchara, Supathirasakul1, Wilart, Rundorn2, Boonsirm, Withayachumanarnkul3, James, Connor, R4, 1 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Songkhla, Thailand2 Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science, Songkhla, Thailand3 Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Science, Bangkok, Thailand4 Department of Neuroscience and Anatomy, Hershey, PA
ABSTRACT- Exogenous estrogen may lower the risk of dementia in postmenopausal (PMS) women, but increase the risk of breast and ovarian cancer and may cause other side effects. Phytoestrogen derived from plants might be a viable alternative source for HRT (hormone replacement therapy) agents. Young coconut juice (YCJ), which presumably contains phytoestrogen was investigated in ovariectomized (ovx) rats. Ovariectomies were performed to mimic postmenopausal study. Four–month female rats were ovariectomized and left untreated for a week before starting YCJ feeding or E2 subcutaneous injection. A control group received 17 –estradiol (E2) 2.5  g/kgBW/day for 5 weeks. The estrogen replacement groups of ovariectomized rats were daily fed with young coconut juice either 20 ml/, 100ml/ or 100ml/kgBW/day plus 2.5 g/kgBW/day twice a week. After 5 weeks, rats were killed and brains and internal organs including uteri were removed, weighed, and fixed in 10% formalin for further immunohistochemical studies. Plasma was collected for estradiol measurement using a radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit. In all cases, the ovariectomized rats showed completed atrophy of the uteri. Circulating estradiol in the ovariectomized group was reduced from a mean value of 62.90 pg/ml in control animals to 28.97 pg/ml in ovariectomized rats. In ovariectomized animals treated with the low dose of YCJ (20ml/kgBW), the mean level of circulating estradiol was 40.67 pg/ml with the high dose (100ml/kgBW) the mean level of circulating estradiol was 65.67 pg/ml and differ insignificantly from the controls (p<0.001). Surprisingly, circulating estradiol was lowest (22.20 pg/ml) in ovariectomized rats treated with 100 ml of YCJ plus E2 injection twice a week, even though uterine weights was not significant different from those in control groups. This finding may indicate an antagonist effect of estrogen-like hormone in YCJ suggesting that it competes with estradiol for the estrogen receptors. In the course of these experiments we noted that ovariectomized rats receiving YCJ 100 ml/kgBW showed a much better wound healing effect than other groups. These findings are of interest as an alternative agents for HRT of PMS symptoms. Further investigation on the delay or halting the progression of Alzheimer′s disease is underway.
KEY WORDS: postmenopausal women, phytoestrogen, Alzheimer's disease, young coconut juice
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