Separation and identification of phytoestrogenic compounds isolated from bourbon.

There is considerable evidence that several plant metabolites have estrogenic properties. Given that many alcoholic beverages are made from plants which have been shown to possess estrogenic activity, we considered the possibility that alcoholic beverages may contain estrogenically active substances. To evaluate this hypothesis we first extracted and then used gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to identify two phytoestrogens, biochanin A and beta-sitosterol in the bourbon extracts. Based on these findings we suggest that the feminization observed in chronic male alcoholics with liver disease may reflect, at least in part, the presence of biologically active phytoestrogens in the alcoholic beverages they consume.