Six isoflavones derived from Millettia griffoniana namely, 4’-methoxy-7-O-[(E)-3-methyl-7hydroxymethyl-2,6 octadienyl]isoflavone (7-O-DHF), Griffonianone C (Griff C), 7-O-geranylformononetin (7-O-GF), 3’,4’-dihydroxy-7-O-[(E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl]isoflavone (7-O-GISO), Griffonianone E (Griff E), 4’-O-geranylisoliquiritigenin (4-O-GIQ) were tested for potential oestrogenic activities in three different oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) dependent assays, namely a recombinant yeast assay, a reporter gene assay based on stably transfected MCF-7 cells (MVLN cells) and the induction of alkaline phosphatase in Ishikawa cells. The oestrogenic activities of isoflavones from Millettia griffoniana could be completely suppressed by the pure oestrogen antagonist, fulvestrant. The expression of Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D1 (CD1) mRNA used as indicator of cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells was assayed. Based on these in vitro results, Griff C was further tested in vivo. The main objective of this part of the work was to study the mechanistic basis of the oestrogenicity Three different doses of Griff C (2, 10, or 20 mg/kg BW) of Griff C in ovariectomised Wistar rats. 17β-oestradiol (E2: 10 µg/kg BW) was used as positive control. They were treated daily for three consecutive days and sacrificed 24 hours after receiving the last dose. The whole uterus was removed and weight. Liver and vena cava fragments were also collected and stored together with uteri in liquid nitrogen for subsequent real-time PCR to evaluate the effects of Griff C on the regulation of some relevant oestrogen–responsive genes in the uterus, the liver and the vena cava. The role of Griff C in apoptosis or in cell survival, through mediation of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, was also investigated. Western blot analysis revealed that Griff C slightly increased the phosphorylation of Akt at its serine 473 residue. In this work, oestrogenic properties of the isoflavones derived from Millettia griffoniana are described using reporter gene assays and the oestrogen-inducible alkaline phosphatase Ishikawa model for the first time. These in vitro data were verified in vivo showing the regulation of the expression of various relevant oestrogen-responsive genes by Griff C. The spectrum of its activity was clearly similar to that of 17β-oestradiol on uterine hepatic and vena cava tissues of ovariectomised rats except for the proliferative response. However Griff C remained 100 to 1000 times less effective than oestradiol. These findings confirmed that some of the biological effects attributed to Millettia griffoniana are closely related to oestrogen-mediated action.

Six isoflavones derived from Millettia griffoniana namely, 4’-methoxy-7-O-[(E)-3-methyl-7hydroxymethyl-2,6 octadienyl]isoflavone (7-O-DHF), Griffonianone C (Griff C), 7-O-geranylformononetin (7-O-GF), 3’,4’-dihydroxy-7-O-[(E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienyl]isoflavone (7-O-GISO), Griffonianone E (Griff E), 4’-O-geranylisoliquiritigenin (4-O-GIQ) were tested for potential oestrogenic activities in three different oestrogen receptor alpha (ERα) dependent assays, namely a recombinant yeast assay, a reporter gene assay based on stably transfected MCF-7 cells (MVLN cells) and the induction of alkaline phosphatase in Ishikawa cells. The oestrogenic activities of isoflavones from Millettia griffoniana could be completely suppressed by the pure oestrogen antagonist, fulvestrant. The expression of Ki-67, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D1 (CD1) mRNA used as indicator of cell proliferation in MCF-7 cells was assayed. Based on these in vitro results, Griff C was further tested in vivo. The main objective of this part of the work was to study the mechanistic basis of the oestrogenicity Three different doses of Griff C (2, 10, or 20 mg/kg BW) of Griff C in ovariectomised Wistar rats. 17β-oestradiol (E2: 10 µg/kg BW) was used as positive control. They were treated daily for three consecutive days and sacrificed 24 hours after receiving the last dose. The whole uterus was removed and weight. Liver and vena cava fragments were also collected and stored together with uteri in liquid nitrogen for subsequent real-time PCR to evaluate the effects of Griff C on the regulation of some relevant oestrogen–responsive genes in the uterus, the liver and the vena cava. The role of Griff C in apoptosis or in cell survival, through mediation of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase-Akt (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway, was also investigated. Western blot analysis revealed that Griff C slightly increased the phosphorylation of Akt at its serine 473 residue. In this work, oestrogenic properties of the isoflavones derived from Millettia griffoniana are described using reporter gene assays and the oestrogen-inducible alkaline phosphatase Ishikawa model for the first time. These in vitro data were verified in vivo showing the regulation of the expression of various relevant oestrogen-responsive genes by Griff C. The spectrum of its activity was clearly similar to that of 17β-oestradiol on uterine hepatic and vena cava tissues of ovariectomised rats except for the proliferative response. However Griff C remained 100 to 1000 times less effective than oestradiol. These findings confirmed that some of the biological effects attributed to Millettia griffoniana are closely related to oestrogen-mediated action.