Role of Alendronate and Alfacalcidol in Protection Against Steroid Induced Osteoporosis in Adult Male Albino Rats
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- Category: Vol. 85, March 2017
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Role of Alendronate and Alfacalcidol in Protection Against Steroid Induced Osteoporosis in Adult Male Albino Rats, HUSSEIN M. FAHMI, ESAM SALAH KAMEL, SALWA M. OUIES and ABEER F. ABD EL-NAEEM
Abstract
Introduction: Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis (GIO) is the most prevalent form of secondary osteoporosis, during therapy, osteoporotic fractures are one of the most devastating conditions, affecting 30-50% of patients. Alendronate is the bisphosphonates of choice for postmenopausal and glucocor-ticoid induced osteoporosis. It has been also recommended for the prevention of bone loss in perimenopausal women. Alfacalcidol has been widely used since 1981 as a prodrug for calcitriol in the treatment of hypocalcemia, chronic renal failure, hypoparathyroidism and osteoporosis.
Aim of the Work: To investigate the effects of the combined effect of alendronate and alfacalcidol on steroid induced osteoprosis in rats, through histological and electron micro-scope examination and morphometric study.
Material and Methods: 40 adult male rats were divided into 4 groups Group 1: Control group; Group 2: Given oral prednisolone, 1mg/kg for 12 weeks; Group 3: Given oral prednisolone with administration of alendronate (0.2mg/kg daily, orally) for 12 weeks; Group 4: Given prednisolone with administration of alendronate + alfacalcidol (0.0375μg/kg, orally) daily for 12 weeks. Animals were sacrificed, the head of tibia was taken and proceeded for light and electron micro-scopic examination.
Results: By light microscope rats treated with steroids only showed signs of osteoporosis in the form of thin trabeculae and fragmentations with wide marrow spaces.
After treatment with alendronates the rats showed signs of improvement; trabecular bone appeared more thick than group 2 with less widening of marrow spaces. The addition of alfacalcidol to the previous drugs showed that trabeculea was near normal with no fractures. By SEM rats treated with steroids only showed thinning, tapering, and breakage of trabeculae with irregular arrangement of the collagen fibrils. After treatment with alendronates the trabeculae increased in volume and number than group 2 with regular arrangement of the collagen fibrils. The addition of alfacalcidol to the previous drugs showed normal appearance of bone trabeculae with regular arrangement of the collagen fibers.