The levels of glutathione and nitrite-nitrate and the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in ovariectomized rats treated by raloxifene against kainic acid

Abstract

The selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are compounds that activate the estrogen receptors with different estrogenic and antiestrogenic tissue-specific effects. The similar effects of SERMs on estrogen encourage the efforts in the research of neuroprotective effects of SERMs. In our study, the potential neuroprotective effects of raloxifene were investigated on the brain cortex of ovariectomized rats after kainic acid-induced oxidative stress. To show the neuroprotective effect of raloxifene against a neurodegenerative agent, kainic acid, expression of Bcl-2, total glutathione (GSH), and nitrite-nitrate levels were investigated in the rat brain cortex. Our results demostrate that raloxifene treatment against oxidative stress significantly increases the expression of Bcl-2 and the level of GSH in the brain cortex.