2-Phenylacetamide Isolated from the Seeds of Lepidium apetalum and Its Estrogen-Like Effects In Vitro and In Vivo

The aim of this study was to investigate the estrogen-like effects of 2-phenylacetamide (PA), which is the main compound isolated from the seeds of Lepidium apetalum Willd (LA). Results showed that LA and PA could promote the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The mouse uterine weight test showed that, LA and PA could increase the uterus index of immature female mice, and the levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and estrogen (E2). LA could increase the expression of ER alpha and ER beta, while PA could increase the expression of ER alpha, ER beta and GPR30 in the uterus and MCF-7 cells. In addition, co-incubation of the estrogen receptor blocker with LA or PA abolished the inductive effect of the proliferation. PA has estrogenic activities and was the material basis of LA that played the estrogenic effect. LA and PA might be used for the treatment of perimenopause syndrome in a novel application.