Effects of Radix Puerariae flavones on liver lipid metabolism in ovariectomized rats.
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of Radix Puerariae flavones (RPF) on liver lipid metabolism in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.


METHODS
Forty adult female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: OVX group; sham-OVX group; OVX+estrogen group and OVX+RPF group. One week after operation rats of the first two groups were treated with physiological saline, rats of OVX+estrogen group with estrogen (1 mg/kg.b.w.) and rats of OVX+RPF group with RPF (100 mg/kg.b.w.), respectively for 5 weeks. After the rats were killed, their body weight, the weight of the abdominal fat and uterus were measured, and the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) in liver homogenate were determined.


RESULTS
Compared with the sham-OVX group, the body mass of the rats in OVX group was found increased significantly; more abdominal fat in store; TC and TG in liver increased and uterine became further atrophy. As a result, the RPF was found to have an inhibitive action on those changes of various degrees.


CONCLUSIONS
RPF has estrogen-like effect on lipid metabolism in liver and adipose tissue.
Wang
Ji-Feng
JF
Department of Biochemistry, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100029, China.
Guo
Yan-Xia
YX
Niu
Jan-Zhao
JZ
Liu
Juan
J
Wang
Ling-Qiao
LQ
Li
Pei-Heng
PH
D000005:Abdomen; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010052:Ovariectomy; D028321:Plant Preparations / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017698:Postmenopause; D029908:Pueraria; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014599:Uterus / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects
D004967:Estrogens; D005419:Flavonoids; D028321:Plant Preparations