Food Science & Nutrition · Nov 14, 2025

Improvement of Menopausal Symptoms by Beta vulgaris, Artemisia princeps, and Eleutherococcus senticosus via Estrogen Pathway Activation in MCF-7 Cells and OVX Mice

By Lee TB, Jang E, Choi S et al.

Menopause, a natural transition marked by estrogen decline, is a growing public health concern because it impairs quality of life. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been widely employed to alleviate menopausal symptoms, including osteoporosis, uterine atrophy, vaginal dryness, fat redistribution, and increased cardiovascular risk, but use is limited by adverse effects including hormonal imbalance and increased cancer risk. As potential alternatives, plant-derived phytoestrogens are actively investigated, yet validated candidate extracts remain scarce. Here we evaluated the estrogenic activity of three extracts-Beta vulgaris, Artemisia princeps, and Eleutherococcus senticosus-using ER-positive MCF-7 cells and an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model. From an initial screen, three extracts induced estrogen-mediated proliferation in ER-positive MCF-7 cells. In OVX mice, efficacy varied by phenotype: B. vulgaris and A. princeps produced more pronounced improvements, whereas E. senticosus was less effective on several endpoints. Mechanistically, B. vulgaris and A. princeps engaged both genomic and non-genomic estrogen signaling, while E. senticosus showed inconsistent activation, suggesting a more limited or alternative mode of action. Overall, efficacy varied across extracts: E. senticosus had modest activity, whereas B. vulgaris and A. princeps produced robust, reproducible improvements, making them promising for plant-based management of menopausal symptoms.

doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.71211 Open access PubMed 41245186 Interventions