Assessment of protein oxidation in women using raloxifene.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the oxidative effects of raloxifene use in postmenopausal women by investigating protein carbonyl levels in the plasma.


METHODS
Nineteen osteoporotic postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene for 12 months were included in the study. Another seventeen postmenopausal women matched for age and postmenopausal years, without any medication were chosen as a control group. Protein carbonyl levels were determined as oxidative stress markers by the use of Levine's method in the plasma of these women.


RESULTS
Serum protein carbonyl levels of postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene (1.27 +/- 0.32 nmol/mg protein) were significantly lower than the control group (2.18 +/- 0.27 nmol/mg protein) (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Oxidative stress has been found responsible for several diseases including cancer. Protein carbonyl levels, which are the products of protein oxidation, are one of the indicators of oxidative stress. Therefore, the decline in protein carbonyl levels in this study revealed the decreasing oxidative stress. According to our results, it might be interpreted that raloxifene does not cause oxidative stress, and it may even have protective effects in long-term use.
Korucuoğlu
U
U
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Gazi University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.
Ciftçi
B
B
Gülbahar
O
O
Biri
A
A
Nas
T
T
Gürsoy
R
R
Aricioğlu
A
A
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005609:Free Radicals; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D050050:Protein Carbonylation; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D005609:Free Radicals; D020845:Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators; D020849:Raloxifene Hydrochloride