Planta Med 2008; 74 - PH33
DOI: 10.1055/s-0028-1084878

Effect of a soybean methanolic fraction containing isoflavones on beta/delta peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPAR)

V da Silva Carrara 1, RB Bazotte 1, FAR Neves 2, A Amato 1, BPD Filho 3, CV Nakamura 3, JMG Mandarino 4, LER Cortez 5, DAG Cortez 1
  • 1Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, State University of Maringá, Colombo Av. 5790, Zip Code 87020–900, Maringá, PR, Brazil
  • 2Department of Molecular Pharmacology, University of Brasília, Brasília, DF, 870200–900, Brazil
  • 3Departament of Clinical Analysis, State University of Maringá, PR, Brazil
  • 4Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária (EMBRAPA) – Londrina, PR, 86001–970, Brazil
  • 5Centro de Ensino Universitário CESUMAR, Maringá, PR, Brazil

The effects of the methanolic fraction of soy isoflavones from seeds and bark on PPARβ/δ, PPARα, and PPARγ receptors were investigated. The bark was obtained as a residue from industrial-oil extraction of the seeds. Analysis of transgenia did not detect the presence of genetically modified material containing the gene [1] CP4 EPSPS. The concentrations of isoflavones in seeds as obtained by HPLC analyses [2] (mg of isoflavones/100g) for daidzin, glycitin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, malonylglycitin, malonylgenistin, daidzein, glycitein, genistein, and total isoflavones were: 145.67±3.14, 45.69±1.86, 147.54±5.54, 276.54±4.21, 105.73±1.17, 466.54±7.37, 57.73±1.26, 22.61±0.36, 75.04±1.61, and 1345.09, respectively. In addition, the concentrations of isoflavones in the bark (mg of isoflavones/100g) for daidzin, glycitin, genistin, malonyldaidzin, malonylglycitin, malonylgenistin, daidzein, glycitein, genistein, and total isoflavones were 393.78±5.39, 149.41±1.52, 296.14±4.14, 152.29±3.38, 89.11±3.94, 161.80±2.82, 86.64±0.93, 33.92±1.08, 55.84±0.82, and 1418.93, respectively. The data also indicated that the methanolic fraction, rich in conjugated soy isoflavones, was capable of activating PPARα and PPARβ/δ gene expression. In contrast, the methanolic fraction from seeds or bark did not activate PPARγ gene expression. The results showing activation of PPARα are consistent with in vitro [3] and clinical [4] studies regarding soy isoflavones as a lipid lowering agent. However, future studies will be necessary to clarify the physiological significance of the activation of PPARβ/δ.

Acknowledgement: Support through grants from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and CAPES.

References: 1. Carrão-Panizzi, M.C. et al. (1999) Pesq Agrop Bras. 34:1788–1795. 2. Berhow, M.A. (2002). Adv Experim Med Biol 505: 61–76. 3. Ricketts, M.L. et al. (2005)J Nutr Biochem. 16:321–330. 4. Albert, A. et al. (2002) Phytomedicine 9:85–92.