LETROZOLE ATTENUATES CARDIOMETABOLIC RISK IN PLASMODIUM BERGHEI-INFECTED MICE
No Thumbnail Available
Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Malaria is associated with cardiometabolic disorders, promoting the risk of
cardiovascular disease (CVD). We recently demonstrated letrozole’s cardioprotective effects in
fructose-exposed male rats. Hence, in this study, we investigated the effect of a low-dose
letrozole against cardiometabolic risk in Plasmodium berghei-infected female mice. Twenty
female mice were randomly grouped into four (n=5/group): uninfected, infected, letrozole (0.24
mg/kg, p.o/day, without infection), and infected + letrozole. Weekly percentage parasitaemia
was recorded. At the end of the 21-day exposure, blood and liver were collected and processed
for biochemical analyses. P. berghei infection decreased serum estradiol level after 21-day
infection and increased serum and liver levels of malondialdehyde, very low-density lipoprotein
cholesterol, triglycerides, and triglycerides/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG/HDL-c)
index. Similarly, P. berghei elevated serum uric acid and hepatic total cholesterol levels.
Meanwhile, the administered dose of letrozole did not significantly affect serum estradiol but
lowered lipid peroxidation, attenuated lipid alterations, and reduced serum uric acid level. We
reveal that P. berghei-infection lowered serum estradiol and promoted cardiometabolic risk in
female mice, while letrozole lowered parasitaemia and mitigated the associated
cardiometabolic risk. Thus, this study is suggestive of letrozole’s potential as an adjuvant
therapy for improved management of malaria-induced cardiometabolic complications. Further
study is recommended to investigate the anti-malaria potency of letrozole, independent of
gender.