title: Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae) Improves the Liver Lipid Metabolism and Redox State of Ovariectomized Rats.
abstract: Vitex agnus-castus (VAC) is a plant that has recently been used to treat the symptoms of menopause, by its actions on the central nervous system. However, little is known about its actions on disturbances in lipid metabolism and nonalcoholic fat liver disease (NAFLD), frequently associated with menopause. Ovariectomized (OVX) rats exhibit increased adiposity and NAFLD 13 weeks after ovary removal and were used as animal models of estrogen deficiency. The rats were treated with crude extract (CE) and a butanolic fraction of VAC (ButF) and displayed the beneficial effects of a reduction in the adiposity index and a complete reversion of NAFLD. NAFLD reversion was accompanied by a general improvement in the liver redox status. The activities of some antioxidant enzymes were restored and the mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide production was significantly reduced in animals treated with CE and the ButF. It can be concluded that the CE and ButF from Vitex agnus-castus were effective in preventing NAFLD and oxidative stress, which are frequent causes of abnormal liver functions in the postmenopausal period.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Oxidations, Department of Biochemistry, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Franciele Neves
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Oxidations, Department of Biochemistry, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lilian Brites
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Campos-Shimada
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Center of Natural Products, Department of Biochemistry, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Silvio Claudio
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Rosângela Fernandes
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Department of General Pathology, University of Londrina, 86057970 Londrina, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alessandra Lourenço
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Cecchini
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Raquel Marçal
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Natali
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Oxidations, Department of Biochemistry, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana de Souza
authors.initials: Ade S
authors.lastname: Vitoriano
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Biological Oxidations, Department of Biochemistry, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Emy Luiza
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Ishii-Iwamoto
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiological Sciences, University of Maringá, 87020900 Maringá, PR, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clairce Luzia
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Salgueiro-Pagadigorria