title: LycoRed as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy in lowering serum lipids and oxidative stress markers: a randomized controlled clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Menopause is a pro-atherogenic state with a sharp rise in the incidence of coronary artery disease. This pilot study was designed as an equivalence randomized clinical trial to explore the potential of LycoRed (containing 2000 microg lycopene) as an alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the prevention of coronary artery disease in postmenopausal women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-one healthy postmenopausal women were randomly allocated to receive either continuous combined HRT (n = 21) or LycoRed (n = 20) for six months. Serum lipid profile, marker of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde), and the level of endogenous antioxidant (glutathione) were measured at the baseline, and 3 and 6 months after the intervention in both groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 6 months, HRT resulted in a significant decrease in total cholesterol (TC) level by 23.5%, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) by 19.6%, and an increase in high-density lipoproteins (HDL) by 38.9%. The LycoRed group showed similar changes in TC (-24.2%), LDL (-14.9%) and HDL (+26.1%). Triglyceride levels showed a smaller though significant increase at 6 months, but not at 3 months, in both groups. There was no significant change in the very LDL (VLDL) level in either group. Malondialdehyde levels decreased significantly by 16.3% and 13.3%, whereas glutathione levels increased significantly by 5.9% and 12.5% in HRT and LycoRed groups, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both HRT and LycoRed had a favorable effect on serum lipids and oxidative stress markers which were comparable. LycoRed can be used as an alternative to HRT to reduce the risk of atherosclerosis in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, India. kkcorporation@mac.com
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Misra
authors.forename: Sonika
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mangi
authors.forename: Sujata
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: Suneeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.forename: Suresh K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Gupta
authors.forename: Ravindra M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Pandey
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015914:Estrogen Replacement Therapy; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D000077276:Lycopene; D008315:Malondialdehyde / Q000097:blood; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010865:Pilot Projects; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D002338:Carotenoids; D008315:Malondialdehyde; D002784:Cholesterol; D005978:Glutathione; D000077276:Lycopene