The effect of hormone replacement therapy with or without folic acid on homocysteine level as risk factor for cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal female rats

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of menopause induced by ovariectomy of rats on serum level of some cardiovascular risk factors such as lipid profile and homocysteine (Hcy) as new risk factor for cardiovascular disease specially the coronary artery disease. Moreover, to determine whether supplementation of estrogen hormone as a replacement therapy or folic acid could be modulate the effects of ovariectomy on the previous parameters or not? Fifty adult female albino rats were divided into five equal groups: group one served as control, the rats in the second group were subjected to ovariectomy, the third group were exposed to ovariectomy and treated with estrogen, the fourth group were ovariectomized and supplemented with folic acid and the fifth group were consist of ovariectomized (ovx) rats treated with estrogen and supplemented with folic acid. Ovariectomized rats showed a significant increase in serum homocysteine, total cholesterol, LDL-c and triglycerides, with significant decrease in HDL-c levels than normal control, oral estrogen administration to ovariectomized rats, induced significant reduction of Hcy, total cholesterol, LDL-c levels than ovariectomized control group. Folic acid supplementation to ovariectomized rats revealed, significant decrease in serum Hcy, LDL-c with insignificant increase in HDL-c, while combined treatment of estrogen and folic acid resulted in significant decrease in Hcy and significant increase in triglycerides levels versus ovariectomized rats. We can conclude that supplementation of food with folic acid succeeded in alleviating the disturbances in homocysteine levels as well as lipid profile metabolism observed in ovariectomized rats. © 2011 Acadamic Journal Inc.