In this setting, herb derived products are usually suggested because the high title of active principles promises results similar to those obtained with pharmaceutical drugs but in absence of side effects and without the risk of testing positive for doping. Among the “natural” supplements,

the most “attractive” are those containing plant-derived hormones such as ecdysteroids, phytoestrogens and vegetal sterols and other substances with referred hormone modulating properties such as tribulus Transmembrane Transporters inhibitor terrestris. Ecdysteroids are the steroid hormones of arthropods. They also occur in certain plant species, where they are known as phytoecdysteroids and are believed to contribute to the deterrence of invertebrate predators. In insects, they regulate moulting and metamorphosis and have GW-572016 order been implicated in the regulation of reproduction and diapause. Most actions of ecdysteroids are mediated by intracellular receptor complexes, which regulate gene expression in a tissue and development specific manner. Ecdysteroids are apparently non-toxic to mammals and a wide range of beneficial pharmacological (adaptogenic, anabolic, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, immunoprotective, wound-healing, and perhaps even anti-tumour) activities are claimed for them [6]. Moreover, the reported anabolic properties have led to a large (and unregulated) market for HKI-272 ic50 ecdysteroid-containing

preparations, the most of which are advertised on specialized websites as legally allowed and non-toxic substances useful to gain muscular mass [7]. Phytoestrogens have acquired popularity for a multitude Meloxicam of health benefits, including a lowered risk of osteoporosis, heart disease, breast cancer, and menopausal symptoms, that have been attributed to them. Consequently, a global movement towards increased consumption of phytoestrogen-rich foods and tabletized concentrated

isoflavone extracts have been heavily promoted in western countries over the last two decades. However, more recently, phytoestrogens have been considered endocrine disruptors having the potential to cause adverse health effects [8], as well the effects of phytoestrogens in preventing osteoporosis and menopausal symptoms have not been confirmed in more recent studies [9–11]. Phytosterols (including campesterol, stigmasterol and sitosterol) are plant steroids with a similar chemical structure and cellular function to human cholesterol. They are recommended as dietary modifiers of serum lipids [12]. In addition, plant sterols exert beneficial effects on other lipid variables, such as apolipoprotein (apo) B/apoAI ratio and, in some studies, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and triglycerides [13] and may also affect inflammatory markers, coagulation parameters, as well as platelet and endothelial function.