Evaluation of isoflavone and its metabolite efficacies, while minimizing the impact on reproductive organs

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24580198
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Food science
• Research Institution: Tokyo University of Agriculture
• Principal Investigator: UEHARA Mariko 東京農業大学, 応用生物科学部, 教授 (20211071)
• Research Collaborator: ADLERCREUTZ Herman University of Helsinki, Finland, Folkhälsan Research Center
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 大豆イソフラボン / equol / 鏡像異性体 / 難消化性糖質 / 骨粗鬆症

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Equol, a metabolite of isoflavone, is a chiral molecule that exists as the enantiomers (R)(+)-equol and (S)(-)-equol.To compare the effect of R-equol and S-equol on bone loss, ovariectomized (OVX) mice were used and each equol(0.5mg/day) were administered to the OVX mice. As natural selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), the equol enantiomers inhibited bone loss, while minimizing the impact on the uterus. S-equol had stronger effects than R-equol in vivo. We performed transcriptome analysis to comprehensively understand the effects of equol enentiomers in mouse femur．DNA microarray analysis demonstrated that S-equol might down-regulate the expression of osteoclast differentiation associated genes responsible for bone resorption. Furthermore, to reduce isoflavone amount for the administration to OVX mice, a combination of isoflavone and indigestible sugars should be considered. The effective lowest dose was confirmed whether it might be about 0.05% as the aglycone daidzein.

Free Research Field

食品機能学