Effects of various phytoestrogens and of Cimicifuga racemosa (CR) in the mammary gland of ovariectomized (ovx) rats

Background The sales of soy and red clover extracts or thereof purified isoflavones (genistein, daidzein and its metabolite equol) have increased. These substances are known to be estrogenic in the uterus but their effects in the mammary gland are unknown. The CR extract BNO 1055 has no estrogenic effect. An action in the mammary gland was not yet studied. Therefore, we treated ovx rats orally with genistein (15.5mg/day), daidzein (15.8mg/d) and equol (15.8mg/d) and with the CR extract BNO 1055 (30.0mg/d) for a period of 3 months. Control ovx animals received soy free or estradiol 17β (E2) containing food (0.25m…