Intraperitoneal injection of genistein affects the distribution and metabolism of cholesterol in female yellow catfish Tachysurus fulvidraco

Genistein is an abundant phytoestrogen in soybean. This study aimed to determine the effects of genistein on cholesterol distribution and metabolism in female yellow catfish. Three hundred fish (49.2 ± 1.4 g) were randomly divided into five treatments and received intraperitoneal injections as follows: (1) blank, no injection; (2) control, vehicle only; (3) E2, 17β-estradiol at 10 μg·g−1 body weight; (4) low genistein doses, genistein at 10 μg·g−1 body weight; (5) high genistein doses, genistein at 100 μg·g−1 body weight. Both high and low genistein doses significantly reduced (p