title: Anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effect of a phytoestrogen compound on rat microglia.
abstract: Ovariectomized Wistar rats received orally 15 mg/kg of a phytoestrogen compound (genistein, daidzein, glycitein, black cohosh, angelica sin., licorice, vitex agnus) for 2 weeks to test its ability to modulate inflammatory microglia response. Microglial proliferation was tested by trypan blue and by absorbance. Serial supernatant sampling was performed for 24 h to check TNF-alpha, IL-beta, IL-6, and TGF-beta. LPS caused a time course increase of all cytokines, with IL-beta and TNF-alpha peaking at the 12th hour, whereas IL-6 and TGF-beta peaked at the 24 h observation. Rats fed with the phytoestrogen displayed a significantly lower level of proinflammatory cytokines and a higher level of TGF-beta, as shown also by Western blot analysis. This finding may offer promise in the field of nutraceutical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Hepato-Gastroenterology Unit, S. Giuseppe Hospital, Milan, Italy. fmarchimede@libero.it
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marotta
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Mao
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Chui
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lorenzetti
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiao
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marandola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology; D017628:Microglia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D016207:Cytokines; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D048789:Phytoestrogens