In vitro and in vivo effects of ethanol extract combined with Curcumae Radix and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma on menopausal metabolic disturbances.

Curcumae Radix (CR) and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma (GR) extracts have been used as health supplements in traditional medicine. This study was performed to evaluate the effects of combined CR and GR extracts (CR+GR) on metabolic complications related menopausal symptoms. We found a significant results that CR+GR extracted using ethanol stimulated the growth of MCF-7 cells in estrogen activity and was attenuated in lipid deposition of HepG2 cells treated with MβCD compared to CR and GR treatments each. To investigate the situation, an experimental menopause rat model with dyslipidemia was induced by surgical bilateral ovariectomy (OVX) and high fat high cholesterol (HFHC) diet in female rats. OVX rats fed HFHC (OVX-HFHC) showed a shift in weight gain, elevated serum cholesterol, altered liver enzymatic parameters and enhanced liver injury compared to the NC and HFHC groups. However, administration of CR+GR, in particular 200 or 450 mg/kg/day, inhibited the increase in body weight gain and lipid metabolic disturbances, lowering total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) compared to the OVX-HFHC group. Furthermore, CR+GR (200 or 450 mg/kg/day) ameliorated the serum levels of the liver enzymes aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine transaminase (ALT) compared to the OVX-HFHC group. Moreover, CR+GR (200 or 450 mg/kg/day) attenuated not only hepatic steatosis but also larger adipocytes. Our study demonstrated that combined treatment with CR and GR attenuated metabolic complications induced by OVX and HFHC diet, suggesting that this effect may regulate and prevent the acceleration of cardiovascular disease (CVD) after menopause.