Using binding assays, we determined that dequol specifically binds 5-ihydrotestosterone (DHT), but not testosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, or estrogen with high affinity. Equol does not bind the prostatic androgen receptor, and has a modest affinity for recombinant estrogen receptor (ER) ß, and no affinity for ER. In castrated male rats treated with DHT, concomitant treatment with equol blocked DHT's trophic effects on the ventral prostate gland growth and inhibitory feedback effects on plasma LH levels without changes in circulating DHT. Therefore, equol can bind circulating DHT and sequester it from the androgen receptor, thus altering growth and physiological hormone responses that are regulated by androgens. These data suggest a novel model to explain equol's biological properties. The significance of equol's ability to specifically bind and sequester DHT from the androgen receptor have important ramifications in health and disease and may indicate a broad and important usage for equol in the treatment of androgen-mediated pathologies.
Questo estratto, sempre del 2004, ci indica pero' che l'equolo sarebbe piu' che altro un sequestrante del dht e non un vero antagonista recettoriale ..!!
Questo estratto, sempre del 2004, ci indica pero' che l'equolo sarebbe piu' che altro un sequestrante del dht e non un vero antagonista recettoriale ..!!