Effect of the ethanol extract ofPleurotus eryngiion bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats

Royal jelly does not prevent bone loss but improves bone strength in ovariectomized rats

OBJECTIVE

Royal jelly (RJ) has been used for medical and nutritional purposes, and previous studies have indicated that it may have estrogenic activity. The present study investigated the effects of RJ on bone metabolism in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

METHODS

Rats (12 weeks old) were randomly divided into four groups, namely Baseline, Sham, OVX, and OVX + RJ groups. Rats in the Baseline group were killed immediately, whereas rats in the OVX and OVX + RJ groups underwent bilateral ovariectomy and those in the Sham group underwent sham operation. RJ was administered to rats in the OVX + RJ group daily for 12 weeks. At the end of the 12-week period, bone mass, bone histomorphometry, and bone mechanics were analyzed.

RESULTS

Femur bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly lower in the OVX group than in the Sham group, and this decrease in BMD was not ameliorated by RJ administration. However, femur stiffness, as evaluated by a three-point bending test, was significantly higher in the OVX + RJ group than in the OVX group.

CONCLUSION

The findings of the present study suggest that RJ does not prevent bone loss, but does improve bone strength in OVX rats.

Long-term supplementation with young coconut juice does not prevent bone loss but rather alleviates body weight gain in ovariectomized rats

Young coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.) juice (YCJ) has traditionally been consumed to alleviate symptoms associated with the menopause. Recently, the authors demonstrated that short-term (6-week) YCJ supplementation to ovariectomized rats resulted in increased bone mass and bone formation parameter, suggesting that YCJ consumption has a positive effect on bone metabolism and may represent an intervention to help slow the bone loss during menopause transition. The present study sought to determine how long-term (12-week) YCJ supplementation affects bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats, to investigate whether such supplementation may be helpful to in osteoporosis treatment. Ten-week-old female Wistar rats were subjected to either a sham operation (Sham) or bilateral ovariectomy (Ovx). The Ovx+YCJ group received 5X-concentrated YCJ at a dose of 15 ml/kg/day for 12 weeks. Rats in the Ovx group had significantly lower femur bone mineral density than those in the Sham group. YCJ supplementation did not significantly affect this difference. However, YCJ prevented the increase in bone area of the mid third of the femur, a site high in cortical bone, and body weight gain observed following Ovx. Our findings indicate that long-term YCJ intake does not alter bone loss, but rather alleviates body weight gain following menopause.