Cardioprotective effects of long-term treatment with raloxifene, a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in ovariectomized rats.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effect of long-term treatment with raloxifene (RAL), a selective estrogen receptor modulator, on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury in ovariectomized (Ovx) rats.

Methods: Ovariectomy was performed in female Sprague-Dawley rats 8 weeks old. Ovx rats were treated with RAL 1 or 5 mg/kg (gavage, once daily) or 17beta-estradiol (E2; 50 microg/kg SC, three times a week) for 8 weeks.