en Cardiovascular Physiology/Pharmacology Cardiovascular Physiology/Pharmacology Experimental research article Experimental research article <p><span style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial;"><strong>Introduction:</strong> High fructose consumption is commonly associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, cardiovascular effects of aromatase inhibitors remain unresolved, although they are effective in the treatment of breast cancer. Thus, this study investigated the effect of letrozole on CVD indicators in Wistar rats exposed to high fructose intake.<br /> <strong>Methods: </strong>Twenty male rats were randomly placed in four groups (n=5/group): control (distilled water), fructose (10% fructose in drinking water), letrozole (1mg/kg) and fructose+ letrozole. After 21-day exposure, fasting blood glucose was taken and the rats were sacrificed, while blood and heart were collected and prepared for biochemical analyses.<br /> <strong>Results: </strong>Our data showed that 10% fructose induced hyperglycaemia and lipid peroxidation. It reduced serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, elevated serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides and free fatty acid but did not alter serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly, when compared with the control. Furthermore, high fructose-intake increased serum or cardiac adenosine deaminase (ADA), xanthine oxidase and uric acid. Our findings revealed that letrozole, when taken with 10% fructose, attenuated all the observed fructose-induced alterations. However, when administered alone, letrozole elevated serum TC as well as cardiac malondialdehyde and ADA.<br /> <strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study showed that high fructose-intake promoted the risk of CVDs in rats, while administration of letrozole attenuated fructose effects. Hence, letrozole may serve as a potential adjuvant therapy for attenuating CVD risk. However, further pre-clinical and clinical findings are necessary to thoroughly investigate the cardiometabolic effects of letrozole.</span></span></p> CVD, Fructose, Letrozole, Lipid, Uric acid 150 160 http://ppj.phypha.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1653-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Adam Olaitan Abdulkareem abdulkareem.ao@unilorin.edu.ng 3200319475328460033132 0000000348505078 Yes Animal Physiology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria and HOPE Cardiometabolic Research Team, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria Emmanuel Olusegun Abe 15-55ek009@students.unilorin.edu.ng 3200319475328460033133 3200319475328460033133 No Animal Physiology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria Adeola Adefoluke Ala aa.ala@ui.edu.ng 3200319475328460033134 0000000247682542 No Animal Physiology Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria Lawrence Aderemi Olatunji tunjilaw@unilorin.edu.ng 3200319475328460033135 0000000210360662 No HOPE Cardiometabolic Research Team, Cardiovascular Research Unit, Department of Physiology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin, Ilorin, Nigeria.