Nutrients
Enhanced Estrogenic Activity in Water-Soluble Silybum marianum Complex via Microwave-Assisted Steviol Glycoside-Based Formulation
By Ju-Hong Kim, Seong-Hun Jeong, Ba-Wool Lee and 7 others.
Abstract
Background
Phytoestrogens are promising alternatives to menopausal hormone therapy, but their clinical application is limited by poor solubility and bioavailability. Silybum marianum (milk thistle) contains flavonolignans with reported estrogenic potential. However, its extract shows only modest estrogenic activity, and approaches to enhance its efficacy by improving solubility remain insufficiently explored.
Methods
A water-soluble Silybum marianum complex (WS) was prepared using microwave-assisted processing with steviol glycoside (SG), and its phytochemical integrity was assessed by UPLC-QTOF-MS. Estrogenic activity was evaluated using cell-free ERα/ERβ competitive binding assays and, in MCF-7 cells, by assessing proliferation and ERα/ERK/AKT phosphorylation. In vivo efficacy was evaluated in a VCD-induced menopause model in female C57BL/6 mice by measuring plasma estradiol levels, uterine weight, and vaginal epithelial thickness.