Figure 3.
Samples with possible synergistic activity when combined with 17β estradiol in the Ishikawa alkaline phosphatase assay. Samples were treated alone to determine the inherent estrogenic activity of the sample, or in combination with 1 nM E2 to determine if there was an antiestrogenic effect of the samples. 17β Estradiol shows the stereotypical estrogenic response alone and is therefore estrogenic, while 4-hydroxytamoxifen shows a stereotypical antiestrogenic response when combined with 1 nM E2, but it is not estrogenic alone. The 75% ethanol extract of C. racemosa (aerial parts) was not estrogenic alone, but when combined with 1 nM E2 was actually more estrogenic than when E2 is tested in the presence of 1 nM E2. The 75% ethanol extract of V. prunifolium and C. rubifolia, and the petroleum ether extract of D. carota are also displayed. Samples were tested in triplicate at least three independent times, and are represented as averages ± standard deviation.