Serum levels of isoflavones in women receiving a red clover dietary supplement

摘要

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) contains the estrogenic isoflavones genistein and daidzein and the proestrogenic isoflavones formononetin and biochanin A (Figure 1). Botanical dietary supplements containing extracts of the aerial parts of red clover are under investigation as potential alternatives to estrogen replacement therapy for menopausal women. Safer alternatives to traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) are needed due to the results of the NIH sponsored Women's Health Initiative and other studies that indicate that HRT increases a woman's risk of breast cancer, stroke, blood clots, and heart attack. In support of our phase II clinical trial of the safety and efficacy of botanical dietary supplements (including red clover and black cohosh) for the relief of menopausal symptoms, we implemented a quantitative assay based on LC-MS-MS to measure serum levels of red clover isoflavones.