Figure 4. Equol decreased mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in ovariectomized female mice.
There was a trend of reduction in IL-1β and IL-6 expression levels 3 days after aneurysm induction in the equol-treated mice relative to controls (upper panel). At 5 days of post-aneurysm induction, mRNA level of IL-6 was significantly lower in equol-treated mice compared to vehicle (lower panel, * P < 0.05). There was a tendency for reduced IL-1β and TNFα levels in the equol-treated mice compared to vehicle-treated animals, though this difference did not achieve statistical significance.