Abstract:
The present study was undertaken to assess the effect of two combined oral
contraceptives: Microgynon (ethinyl estradiol (EE2) 0.004906mg/kg and levonorgestrel
(LNG) 0.024533mg/kg) and Nordiol (EE2 0.008177mg/kg and LNG 0.040889mg/kg) on
selected oxidative stress parameters: reduced glutathione (GSH), lipid peroxidation
byproduct malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase activity (CAT) and glutathione S-transferase
enzyme activity (GST) and their effect on serum lipid profile(total cholesterol (TC),
triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL) and very
low density lipoprotein (VLDL) in female rats which were maintained on high cholesterol
diet. Thirty female Sprague–Dawely rats were enrolled in this study, 6 rats were
maintained on normal standard chow diet and considered as control group, the other 24 rats
received high cholesterol diet for 14 weeks, then blood samples were taken randomly from
6 rats which underwent laparotomy, and experimental parameters were measured. The
remaining 18 rats were randomly separated into 3 groups, six rats in each group; one group
continued on high cholesterol diet and distilled water for 6 weeks and served as self control
group. The other 2 groups continued on high cholesterol diet and one of the oral
contraceptives mentioned above for 6 weeks. Then, the selected parameters were measured
at the end of the 6 weeks of treatment. Results: Microgynon treatment decreased serum
GSH significantly while did not significantly affect MDA level, CAT and GST activity.
Microgynon treatment decreased serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) level significantly,
while did not significantly affect serum TC, TG, LDL and VLDL. Nordiol treatment did
not significantly affect serum level of GSH, MDA, CAT and GST. In Nordiol treatment
serum TG and VLDL levels increased significantly, serum HDL level decreased
significantly, other parameters of lipid profile did not significantly change.