title: Aspergillus oryzae fermented germinated soybean extract alleviates perimenopausal symptoms in ovariectomised rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Soybeans have been widely used to alleviate climacteric symptoms. In this study, we investigated the oestrogenic activities of isoflavones extracted from Aspergillus oryzae-challenged germinated soybeans (AO-GS). Eight-week-old virgin Sprague-Dawley female rats were ovariectomised (OVX). The rats were orally administered 0.1 mg kg(-1) 17α-ethinyl oestradiol or three different doses of AO-GS (0.5, 1.0 2.0 g kg(-1) day(-1)) in distilled water for 6 weeks, while control rats were administered vehicle alone. Uterine weights and levels of oestradiol and testosterone in serum were measured. In addition to serum parameters, bone parameters were also acquired by using micro-computed tomography scanning.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatments of OVX rats with AO-GS changed the secretory profile of serum oestradiol and testosterone. Serum oestradiol levels were significantly increased in OVX rats treated with and AO-GS (0.5, 1.0, 2.0 g kg(-1) day(-1)), while serum testosterone levels were not significantly increased in OVX rats treated with 1.0 g kg(-1) day(-1) of AO-GS. Furthermore, AO-GS (2.0 g kg(-1) day(-1)) significantly attenuated bone loss, increased trabecular bone volume fraction and trabecular thickness, and significantly decreased trabecular pattern factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AO-GS treatments caused moderate oestrogenic activity in OVX rats compared to those treated with oestradiol, suggesting the potential for the use of AO-GS in the treatment of menopausal symptoms and in osteoporosis caused by oestrogen deficiency.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Mingeum
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: HUBIO Co., Ltd, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Sung
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Hyung Joo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Food and Nutrition, Korea University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Yooheon
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001236:Aspergillus oryzae / Q000378:metabolism; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005285:Fermentation; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D047648:Perimenopause; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013025:Glycine max
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Aspergillus oryzae; micro-computed tomography (CT); ovariectomised rats; soybeans