Effect of Soy Protein Containing Isoflavones on Blood Lipids in Moderately Hypercholesterolemic Adults: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Dietary intake of soy protein with isoflavones may be associated with reductions in serum cholesterol.

Objectives: To compare the effects of a water-washed soy protein concentrate with a milk-protein based control on blood lipid levels in hyperlipidemic men and women.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial including 159 subjects. After a 3-week run-in period during which all subjects consumed a milk protein-based supplement, participants were randomized into one of two groups: a control group (continued milk protein) and an intervention group (soy protein) for a five-week period. Fasting venous blood draws for lipid measurement were obtained at baseline, towards the end of the run-in period and at the end of the intervention. Blood isoflavone concentrations were measured at the end of the study.

Results: Blood lipid levels were not significantly different between groups at any point in time; and there were no significant associations between blood isoflavones and lipid levels. Significant decreases in total cholesterol (19 mg/dL), and LDL-cholesterol (11 mg/dL), were observed during the run-in period, with no further decreases in lipids during the intervention period in either group.

Conclusions: These results do not support the hypothesis that water-washed soy protein has an effect on blood lipids. Several hypotheses are discussed, highlighting the selective nature of the effect of soy consumption in the population. The cholesterol-lowering effect during the run-in period may be explained by the “regression to the mean effect” and by other factors related to study participation, mainly nutrient displacement induced by the protein supplement.     

构棘果中2个苯并吡喃异黄酮的分离及其抗肿瘤活性筛选

目的 研究构棘Cudrania cochinchinensis果实的化学成分.方法 采用95％乙醇浸泡提取、硅胶柱色谱分离,各种谱学方法和单晶衍射确定化合物结构,用MTT法进行化合物抗肿瘤活性的筛选.结果 从构棘果中分离得到2个苯并吡喃异黄酮,分别鉴定为4'-O-methylalpinmumisoflavone (1)和isoderrone (2);晶体结构显示化合物1和2均属单斜晶系,空间群为P2 (1)/c,晶体以分子间氢键、分子内氢键、π-π堆积作用和范德华力构成三维超分子建筑结构.化合物2对肝癌BEL-7404细胞和胃癌SGC-7901细胞具有较好的抑制作用.结论 化合物2为首次从该属植物中分离得到,化合物1为首次从该植物中得到.X-单晶衍射测试确定了化合物1和2的平面晶体结构,并首次报道其3D立体堆积结构.     

The Estrogenic Activity of Isoflavones Extracted from Chickpea Cicer arietinum L Sprouts in Vitro

Isoflavones have drawn attention due to their potential therapeutic use. Isoflavones are the important chemical components of the seeds and sprouts of chickpea and higher isoflavones in sprouts than in seeds. However, there have been no previous reports of the estrogenic activity of isoflavones extracted from chickpea Cicer arietinum L sprouts (ICS) in vitro. In this study, which incorporated several in vitro bioassays methods, we systematically evaluated the estrogenic properties of ICS. MTT assay showed that ICS at the low concentration ranges (10^?3–1 mg/L) promoted MCF‐7 cell growth, while at high concentrations, (>1 mg/L) inhibited cell proliferation, indicating ICS worked at a diphasic mechanism. Flow cytometric analysis further calculated the proliferation rate of ICS at low concentration (1 mg/L). ERα/Luc trans‐activation assay and then semi‐quantitative RT‐PCR analysis indicated that ICS at low concentrations induced ERα‐mediated luciferase activity in MCF‐7 cells and promoted the ER downstream target gene pS2 and PR trans‐activation. These effects were inhibited by ICI 182,780, a special antagonist of ER, indicating that an ER‐mediating pathway was involved. Alkaline phosphatase (AP) expression in Ishikawa cells showed that ICS at low concentrations stimulated AP expression. Our current study is the first to demonstrate that ICS has significant estrogenic activity in vitro. ICS may be useful as a supplement to hormone replacement therapy and in dietary supplements. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

围绝经期综合征中西医临床研究进展

本综述回顾了围绝经期综合征的中医西医病因病机、治疗现状,并展望了该病的可能研究方向。特殊的身体时期下丘脑一垂体一卵巢这个内分泌轴发生变化,导致一系列植物神经紊乱为主的症状。中医认为本病肾虚为本,同时肝气郁结、痰瘀内生等密切相关。西医治疗以激素替代疗法为主,大豆异黄酮治疗以及心理治疗也取得一定的研究进展。中医以辨证治疗为主,专方专药、针灸疗法也广泛应用于临床。中医治疗可能有一定的治疗效果,但是低质量的随机对照研究充斥,尚无充分的循证医学证据肯定其疗效。严格的中药治疗围绝经期综合征的随机双盲对照试验是未来的研究重点。     

气相色谱测定保健食品中3种植物甾醇的含量

目的：建立同时测定淡豆豉中6种异黄酮类成分的分析方法,并研究炮制工艺对淡豆豉药材中异黄酮类成分的影响。方法：自行发酵淡豆豉并采用高效液相色谱法测定其异黄酮含量,使用岛津SB-C₁₈ HPLC 色谱柱（4.6 mm×150 mm,5 μm）;以0.2%甲酸乙腈-0.2%甲酸水溶液为流动相,梯度洗脱;采用全波长紫外检测器扫描;流速1 mL·min^-1,柱温35 ℃。结果：淡豆豉中各异黄酮色谱峰的分离度良好,在一定范围内与峰面积积分值呈良好的线性关系（r>0.999）,平均加样回收率在93.16%~109.98%,RSD均<3.76%,并发现炮制过程中苷含量逐渐降低,苷元含量逐渐升高。结论：该方法操作简便、稳定、可靠,可用于淡豆豉多指标成分的含量测定,同时证明6~8 d的发酵条件最利于苷类成分的水解,较适合淡豆豉的发酵。     

The effect of red clover isoflavone supplementation over vasomotor and menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women

Objective. To evaluate the effect of red clover isoflavone supplementation over vasomotor and overall menopausal symptoms in postmenopausal women. Methods. One hundred and nine postmenopausal women aged 40 or more were assigned to randomly receive either two daily capsules of the active compound (80?mg red clover isoflavones, Group A) or placebo of equal appearance (Group B) for a 90-day period. After a washout period of 7 days, medication was crossed over and taken for 90 days more. Daily hot flush and night sweat frequency and overall menopausal symptom intensity (Kupperman Index) were measured at baseline, 90, 97 and 187 days. Results. Daily hot flush/night sweat frequency and Kupperman Index values were similar in both studied groups at baseline. All indices significantly decreased after red clover phase in Group A, corresponding, respectively to a 73.5%, 72.2% and 75.4% average decrement. These decrements were significantly higher than those observed for Group B after placebo phase (8.2%, 0.9% and 6.7% respectively). In Group A, after washout and placebo phases all values significantly increased. In Group B, all indices remained similar after placebo and washout phases, however significantly dropping after red clover treatment. These values were also significantly lower than those observed in Group A after placebo phase. No side effects were encountered after treatment with the active compound or placebo. Conclusion. Red clover isoflavone supplementation was more effective than placebo in reducing daily vasomotor frequency and overall menopausal intensity in postmenopausal women.     

Phytotherapy of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia. A Minireview

Benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is a common condition affecting older men, with an incidence that is age‐dependent. Histological BPH, which typically develops after the age of 40 years, ranges in prevalence from >50% at 60 years to as high as 90% by 85 years of age. Typical symptoms include increased frequency of urination, nocturia, urgency, hesitancy, and weak urine stream. Conventional medicines used for the treatment of BPH include alpha blockers and 5‐alpha reductase inhibitors. This articles review the mode of action, the efficacy, and the safety, including herb‐drug interactions of the most common botanicals (Serenoa repens, Pygeum africanum, Urtica dioica, and Cucurbita pepo) and nutraceuticals (isoflavones, lycopene, selenium, and β‐Sitosterol) in controlling the lower urinary tract symptoms associated to BPH. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Design of tandem genes cluster for isoflavone engineering

In this paper, a universal effective novel method of constructing tandem genes cluster for isoflavone engineering was reported. A tandem genes cluster CHS-CHI-IFS (rIFS) of secondary metabolites of plant isoflavones was constructed by using the chalcone synthase (CHS), chalcone isomerase (CHI), and isoflavone synthase (IFS) (GenBank accession numbers EU526827, EU526829, EU526830) in only one recombination with the pET22b vector. The resulting expression vector pET-rIFS was heterogeneously expressed and co-incubated with barrenwort extractions, and the genistein-like component was detected.     

大豆异黄酮对衰老大鼠抗氧化功能的影响

目的：研究大豆异黄酮对D-半乳糖致衰老大鼠抗氧化能力的影响。方法：用D-半乳糖注射Wistar雄性大鼠5个月,建立衰老模型。对致衰老模型组、大豆异黄酮组肝脏、心脏和前列腺丙二醛（MDA）含量、超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、谷胱甘肽过氧化酶（GSH-Px）活性进行测定及比较。结果：低、中、高不同剂量大豆异黄酮灌喂组与模型组大鼠相比,各脏器MDA含量（μmol/L）（心脏：6.95±0.93,5.62±1.12,4.35±1.12比8.02±1.11;肝脏：8.15±0.85,6.47±1.20,5.15±1.12比9.35±1.35;前列腺：7.15±0.92,5.58±1.15,4.23±1.25比8.33±1.24）均有降低,差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）,而SOD酶活性（nmol/L）（心脏：47.32±3.08,55.18±4.28,61.20±3.68比32.25±3.70;肝脏：181.21±5.06,190.15±7.06,197.20±5.70比172.13±5.12;前列腺：41.56±3.01,46.07±4.21,50.15±3.35比33.74±3.05）和GSH-Px酶活性（nmol/L）（心脏：9.05±0.96,11.11±2.45,13.13±1.46比7.13±1.51;肝脏：9.02±1.05,11.50±2.23,13.62±1.92比6.98±1.60;前列腺：4.35±0.85,6.13±1.02,7.47±1.55比3.12±1.06）有升高,差异同样具有统计学意义（P〈0.05）;大豆异黄酮摄入量越高,MDA含量越低,而SOD、GSH-Px酶活性越高。结论：摄入适量大豆异黄酮可有效增强大鼠机体抗氧化能力,从而延缓D-半乳糖诱发的大鼠衰老。