Coompo Research Chemicals

Isoflavone daidzein transactivates all three PPAR isoforms, α, δ, and γ and influences target cells. Similar to another isoflavone genistein, daidzein at concentrations between 1 and 100 uM activates PPARs in a dose dependent way in KS483 mesenchymal progenitor cells, breast cancer MCF-7 cells, T47D cells and MDA-MD-231 cells. Studies have shown that both ERs and PPARs influence each other and therefore induce differential effects in a dose-dependent way. The final biological effects of daidzein are determined by the balance among these pleiotrophic actions.

Daidzein has both estrogenic and anti-estrogenic effects. Soy supplements are often consumed by women for alleviating menopausal symptoms or for the perceived protective effects against breast cancer, particularly after a well documented low incidence rates of breast cancer and high soy food intake among Asian women. But taking soy supplements carries serious risks of harm, especially in people who already have cancer and are taking drugs to treat the cancer.

Experimental evidence in cells and in animals show that even low concentration stimulates breast tumor growth in in vitro and in vivo, and interfere with the antitumor effect of the cancer drug, tamoxifen. daidzein was demonstrated to induce human MCF-7 breast cancer cell line apoptosis through the mitochondrial caspase-dependent cell death pathway. However, epidemiological studies suggest that consuming soy isoflavones reduces the risks of certain types of cancer including breast and endometrial.

Scientific studies of daidzein's antioxidant abilities have given contradictory results: some studies have shown antioxidant properties in laboratory experiments on cells, but in other experiments daidzein has caused oxidative stress on cells. Weak pro-estrogen and anti-estrogen activity which may be helpful in postmenopausal women.