Document Type : Original Article
Authors
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
Abstract
Menopause is associated with a decline in circulating estrogen levels, with a negative impact on bone, metabolism homeostasis and health. Flaxseed is the seed of the flax plant, and its supplementation shown to decrease the menopausal symptoms and improves the quality of life in postmenopausal women. This study investigated the effects of flaxseed oil supplementation on hormonal, lipid, hepatic, and bone homeostasis in ovariectomized rats. Thirty adult females were divided into three groups: I: Sham operated control group, II: Bilateral ovariectomized group (OVX) and III: Bilateral ovariectomized flaxseed oil-supplemented group (FLAX). All rats were subjected to measurement of plasma levels of Estradiol, FSH, MDA, TAC, TG, TC, HDL, BALP and IL-6. Histological examination of H&E-stained bone and liver tissues samples was performed. Ovariectomy results in a decrease in plasma estrogen level, increased plasma FSH level, increased oxidative stress, decreased total antioxidant capacity, increase in TG, TC, LDL, atherogenic index, decreased HDL, increase in BALP and IL-6. In addition to histopathological bone and liver changes in the form of bone demineralization, increased osteoclasts, bone erosions and liver congestions, apoptosis and inflammatory infiltrates. Flaxseed oil supplementation to ovariectomized rats had a marked beneficial effect and results in improvements in all the mentioned post-ovariectomy changes, in addition to improvements in the histopathological bone and liver findings. It is concluded that supplementation with flaxseed oil is of great value in decreasing or inhibiting the hormonal, lipid, bone and liver impairments and imbalances induced by ovariectomy.
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