Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 8, 2026

An In Vivo Estrogen Deficiency Mouse Model for Screening Exogenous Estrogen Treatments of Cardiovascular Dysfunction After Menopause
Published on: August 13, 2019
Ilex paraguariensis supplementation may be an effective nutritional approach to modulate oxidative stress during
Ariana Aparecida Ferreira Pereira1, Keny Gonçalves Tirapeli1, Antonio Hernandes Chaves-Neto2
1Programa Multicêntrico de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas, SBFis/UNESP, Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil; Laboratory of Biochemistry, Department of Basic Sciences, Araçatuba Dental School, UNESP - Univ Estadual Paulista, Araçatuba, São Paulo, Brazil.
Abstract:
Perimenopause is a period in a woman's life that precedes menopause and is characterized by hormonal changes that result in increased oxidative stress. Since oxidative stress is associated with age-related diseases and perimenopausal symptoms including somato-vegetative manifestations, nutritional antioxidant supplementation may be an effective approach to minimizing this stress. Mate tea (MT) (Ilex paraguariensis), a typical and inexpensive beverage consumed in the Brazilian south-east, Argentina and Uruguay, increases antioxidant defense. We hypothesized that MT could minimize oxidative stress during perimenopause by modulating enzymatic antioxidant defense. To test this, we analyzed the lipid oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in erythrocytes and liver of rats, after MT treatment. Female Wistar rats (aged 16months) in proven perimenopause period received 20mg/kgBW/day of mate tea, by gavage (PM+MT group) or water (PM group). Female rats aged 4months (AD group) received water. Erythrocytes and liver were used to determine lipid oxidative damage, determined by malondialdehyde (MDA); superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) activities. Total plasma antioxidant capacity was examined by ferric reducing antioxidant power assay (FRAP) and estrogen by radioimmunoassay. MT increased FRAP and did not change estrogen levels. Increased SOD and GPx, and reduced MDA were observed in both tissues studied. Increased CAT activity was observed only in the liver. We confirmed the hypothesis that MT was capable of minimizing oxidative stress in this period of life by modulating antioxidant defense.
Related Concept Videos
Menopause
Oogenesis
Hormonal Regulation of the Menstrual Cycle
At puberty, GnRH begins a pulsatile release pattern, which triggers the anterior pituitary gland to secrete follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). The frequency and amplitude of GnRH pulses vary across the menstrual cycle, with faster pulses favoring LH release and slower pulses favoring FSH...
Hormonal Control of the Ovarian Cycle
Before puberty, the hypothalamus releases GnRH in a low frequency, low amplitude pulsatile manner. This along with the immature hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activity, results in low estrogen levels and the absence of a fully functional ovarian cycle. At puberty, GnRH secretion increases in both frequency and...
Hormonal Regulation
Hormonal Regulation

