Biogerontology

, Volume 11, Issue 6, pp 687–701 | Cite as

Effects of growth hormone, melatonin, oestrogens and phytoestrogens on the oxidized glutathione (GSSG)/reduced glutathione (GSH) ratio and lipid peroxidation in aged ovariectomized rats

  • Isabel Baeza
  • Jesús Fdez-Tresguerres
  • Carmen Ariznavarreta
  • Mónica De la Fuente
Research Article
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Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

Ovariectomy constitutes a commonly used model in rats and mice for human menopause. After ovariectomy, an imbalance between oxidant production and antioxidant levels appears in favour of the former, with increased oxidative stress and consequently an acceleration of ageing. In the present work, the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH), a relevant antioxidant, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), an oxidant compound, as well as lipid peroxidation (through malondialdehyde (MDA) levels), were studied in liver, heart, kidney and spleen homogenates of old (24 months of age) unovariectomized and ovariectomized female Wistar rats. The results showed a significant increase of the GSSG/GSH ratio, a marker of oxidative stress, and higher MDA production in all the studied organs of ovariectomized rats as compared with unovariectomized animals. These data confirm the idea that ovariectomy accelerates the ageing process. Administration of growth hormone (GH), melatonin (MEL) and oestrogens (OE), as well as soybean phytoestrogens (PE) for 10 weeks, between 22 and 24 months of age, was able to decrease oxidative stress in the investigated organs of ovariectomized old rats, therefore slowing down the ageing process in those animals.

Keywords

Ageing Hormones Glutathione Malondialdehyde Ovariectomy Phytoestrogens 
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Notes

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grants from the Spanish Ministry for Science and Innovation (BFU2008-04336 and SAF 2007-66878-C02-01), Research Group UCM (910379) and RETICEF (RD06/0013/0002 and RD06/0013/0003) from ISCIII.

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Copyright information

© Springer Science+Business Media B.V. 2010

Authors and Affiliations

  • Isabel Baeza
    • 1
  • Jesús Fdez-Tresguerres
    • 2
  • Carmen Ariznavarreta
    • 2
  • Mónica De la Fuente
    • 1
  1. 1.Department of Physiology, Faculty of BiologyComplutense University of Madrid (UCM)MadridSpain
  2. 2.Department of Physiology, Faculty of MedicineComplutense University of MadridMadridSpain

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