The potential of tempeh extract as an antiaging using female rats as animal models.

Abstract

Aging is a decline in physiological functions of the body. In women, when entering old age, the function of ovaries is decline thus causing a reduction of estrogen hormone production. The decline of this hormone has an impact on the function of several organs, including the uterus, skin, and bones. One approach taken to improve organs function in the process of aging is hormone replacement therapy. Medically, hormone replacement therapy has been performed using synthetic hormone. However, the use of synthetic hormone replacement therapy could increase the risk of breast cancer and cardiovascular diseases. To decrease the unfavorable risk of treatment of synthetic hormone, the research was focused on the use of natural materials. Extract tempeh is a natural substance that contains phytoestrogens, having similar estrogen activity. This study was designed to determine the condition of an animal model for premenopausal and postmenopausal using uterus, skin, and bone quality parameters, and to study the role of tempeh extract for improvements premenopausal and postmenopausal conditions. The research was conducted in three stages. The first stage was designed to study the condition of an animal model for premenopausal and postmenopausal using uterus, skin, and bone quality parameters. The second stage was designed to study the potential effects of tempeh extract to improve the qualities of uterus, skin, and bone in premenopausal conditions. The third stage was designed to study the potential effects of tempeh extract to improve the qualities of uterus, skin, and bone in postmenopausal conditions. The results showed that rats aged 18 months were marked by a decline in serum progesterone concentrations, uterus collagen concentrations, DNA and RNA concentrations of the uterus, skin collagen concentrations, RNA concentrations of the skin, RNA concentrations of the bone, and these parameters were used as premenopausal conditions. Rats aged 30-36 months were marked by a drastic decline in serum progesterone concentrations, uterus collagen concentrations, RNA concentrations of the uterus, skin collagen concentrations, RNA concentrations of the skin, bone collagen concentrations, RNA concentrations of the bone, bone calcium concentrations, ratio of Ca/P in tibial bone, and bone density and this parameters were used as postmenopausal conditions. The ovariectomized rats having similar appearances to postmenopausal conditions were found in rats aged 12 months with 3 months postovariectomy. Supplementations of tempeh extract for two months in premenopausal rats could maintain the quality of the uterus, improved the qualities of skin and bone. At postmenopausal conditions, tempeh extract could improve the qualities of uterus, skin, and bone.