title: Acute effects of three isoflavone class phytoestrogens and a mycoestrogen on cerebral microcirculation.
abstract: Phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens are naturally occurring plant and fungus secondary metabolites with estrogen-like structure and/or actions. We aimed to check the hypothesis that phytoestrogens and mycoestrogens, due to their ability to elicit cerebral vasodilation, can induce acute increases in brain blood perfusion. For this purpose, we continuously recorded cerebrocortical perfusion by laser-Doppler flowmetry in anesthetized rats receiving intracarotid infusions (1 mg/kg) of one of the following estrogenic compounds: biochanin A, daidzein, genistein or zearalanone. We have shown the ability of two isoflavone class phytoestrogens (daidzein and biochanin A) and the mycoestrogen zearalanone to induce acute increases in brain blood flow when locally infused into the cerebral circulation of anesthetized rats. The isoflavone genistein failed to induce a significant increase in brain perfusion. No concomitant changes in blood pressure were recorded during the cerebral effects of the estrogenic compounds. Therefore, these microcirculatory effects were due to direct actions of the estrogenic compounds on the cerebrovascular bed.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación, Hospital Universitario La Fe, Ave. Campanar 21, 46009 Valencia, Spain. salom_jba@gva.es
authors.forename: Juan B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Salom
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Castelló-Ruiz
authors.forename: Fernando J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Pérez-Asensio
authors.forename: María C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Burguete
authors.forename: Germán
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Torregrosa
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Alborch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000098:blood supply*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D015025:Zearalenone / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D048789:Phytoestrogens; D015025:Zearalenone