ABSTRACT
AIMTo study effects of genistein and daidzein on chole sterol levels in serum of ovariectomized rats. METHODS70 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: control group, model group, estrogen g roup, genistein groups of high dose and low dose, daidzein groups of high dose a nd low dose with 10 rats in each group. All rats were ovariectomized except for that of the control group. One week after operation, the soyisoflavones were ad ministrated with different dose of genestein and daidzein for 6 weeks. Six weeks after operation, the rats were killed, with serum and liver taken, and the leve ls of total serum cholesterol (sTC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL- C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and total liver homogenate ch olesterol (hTC), were measured. RESULTSThe level of sTC, hTC, LDL-C in serum of ovariectomized rats of model group increased significantly, c ompared with control group. Eestrogen reduced the levels of sTC, hTC and LDL-C, but had no effects on the levels of the HDL-C. Genistein reduced the levels of sTC, hTC and increased the level of the HDL-C, but had no effect on that of LD L-C. Daidzein reduced the levels of sTC, hTC, LDL-C, but had no effect on the level of the HDL-C. CONCLUSIONGenistein and daidzein suppressed the increase of cholesterol levels of serum in ovariectomized rats through deff erent pathways. The effect of daidzein on serum cholesterol level of rats is mor e potent than that of genistein.veloftheHDL C .CONCLUSION Genistein