Soy germ isoflavones improve menopausal symptoms but have no effect on blood lipids in early postmenopausal Chinese women: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Estrogen therapy is, to date, the most effective treatment of menopausal syndrome and also has a favorable effect on lipid profiles. Because of its potential adverse effects, however, a more acceptable alternative therapy needs to be identified. This study examines the effect of soy germ isoflavones on menopausal symptoms and serum lipids. METHODS: Ninety early postmenopausal Chinese women, aged 45 to 60 years, were randomly assigned to three treatment groups (30 each) receiving daily doses of 0 (placebo), 84, and 126 mg of soy germ isoflavones. Hot flush frequency, Kupperman scores, serum 17ß-estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and serum lipids, including triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A-I, and apolipoprotein B100, were assessed at baseline and at 12 and 24 weeks after treatment. RESULTS: Both the frequency of hot flushes and the Kupperman index score decreased in all three treatment groups during the intervention period, but the percentage decreases in both were significantly greater in the two isoflavone groups (44.3 ± 19.1 and 57.8 ± 37.4 [84 mg isoflavones]; 48.5 ± 27.2 and 56.7 ± 26.7 [126 mg isoflavones]) than in the placebo group (27.8 ± 15.5 and 34.6 ± 46.2; p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the changes in estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone, and luteinizing hormone among the three treatment groups during the study, and no significant differences were observed in the lipid components. CONCLUSIONS: A daily supplement of 84 or 126 mg soy germ isoflavones may improve menopausal symptoms, although neither dose was found to affect lipid profiles in early postmenopausal Chinese women after 24 weeks of treatment. The favorable effects are unlikely to be associated with female hormones.

[Effect of Nuanxin Capsule on two rat models with heart failure].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of Nuanxin Capsule (NC) on the rat models of heart failure induced by abdominal aorta constriction and adriamycin. METHODS: Rats were randomly divided into the following groups: model control group, low-dose and high-dose, and digoxin group. Meanwhile, the pseudo-operation and NC groups were seperately established. After treatment for 30 days, the heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), maximal rate of increase and decrease in left ventricular pressure (+/- dp/dt), mean peripheral blood pressure (MBP) as well as levels of serum superoxide dismustase (SOD), malondialdeh-vde (MDA), cardiac index and heart size were measured. RESULTS: SBP, LVSP, +/- dp/dt and SOD activity increased,while LVEDP,serum MDA levels decreased in high and low-dose NC groups of two models. The heart rates also decreased, but the difference was insignificant (P>0.05, compared with those of model group). Besides, the heart rate,heart size and cardiac index, as well as serum Ang II levels also decreased. The differences were significant as compared with the digoxin group (P>0.05). The high-dose NC also significatly improved MBP and SOD (P<0.05 and P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Nuanxin Capsule has good therapeutic effects on the rats models of adriamycin and abdominal aorta constriction induced heart failure.

[A pharmacology study of Cyclovirobuxinum D on curing myocardial ischemia induced by isoprenaline].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the pharmacology actions of Cyclovirobuxinum D (Cvb-D) for the myocardial ischemia and study its possible mechanism. METHODS: The rats were given orally with Cvb-D 0.55 g/kg, 1.1 g/kg and 2.2 g/kg per day, for 21 days. The myocardial ischemia model were induced by isoprenaline. The rats ECG, serum CPK, LDH, FFA and myocardium tissue SOD, MDA level were detected. RESULTS: Cvb-D could significantly reduce myocardial ischemia model induced by isoprenaline rats' sigmaJ of ECG, shorten ECG resume time, reduce serum FFA content, serum CPK, LDH activation, reduce cardiac tissue MDA content, raise the cardiac tissue SOD activation. CONCLUSION: Cvb-D can decrease the release of FFA, CPK, LDH and improve the model rats' myocardium MDA, SOD level. It may be some of mechanisms of its anti-myocardial ischemia effect.