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Abstract : |
Labisia pumila var alata, locally known Kacip Fatimah, is a traditional herb used by Malay women to induce and facilitate childbirth as well as to increase a woman's libido. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of Labisia pumila consumption on maintaining the integrity of the aortic wall in ovariectomized rats. Thirty-five adult female Sprague Dawley rats, 6 months old, were used in the experiment. Rats were divided into Normal (NOR) and ovariectomized (OVXC, KF and ERT) groups. Body weight was checked and recorded monthly. After four months, rats were sacrificed by cervical dislocation and tissue samples from the aorta were collected for histological studies. Results showed that water extract of Labisia pumila-treatment maintained the elastic lamellae architecture of the ovariectomized rat aortae in a manner comparable to that of the normal rats. Results implied a possible role for Labisia pumila in modulating postmenopausal cardiovascular risks., |
