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. 2015 Apr 1;8(4):3477-90.
eCollection 2015.

Possible antiosteoporotic mechanism of Cicer arietinum extract in ovariectomized rats

Sohair R Fahmy  1 , Amel M Soliman  1 , Amany A Sayed  1 , Mohamed Marzouk  1
Affiliations

Possible antiosteoporotic mechanism of Cicer arietinum extract in ovariectomized rats

Sohair R Fahmy et al. Int J Clin Exp Pathol. .

Abstract

Objective: The present study aimed to throw the light on the anti-osteoprotic mechanism of Cicer arietinum extract (CAE) seeds against ovariectomized (OVX) rats.

Methods: Seventy female rats were divided into two groups. The first group (14 rats/group) represented normal rats (Sham operated) while the second group (56 rats/group) underwent bilateral ovariectomy (OVX). After one week of recovery from ovariectomy surgery, the second group was randomly subdivided into 4 subgroups (14 rats/ each subgroup). The rats administered orally; distilled water (vehicle) (1st subgroup), Cicer arietinum extract (CAE) (500 or 1000 mg/kg body weight/day) (2nd and 3rd subgroups), alendronate (6.5 mg/kg mg/kg body weight) as a positive control one time/week (4(rh) subgroup), daily for 10 weeks.

Results: The present study demonstrated that ovariectomy caused significant decrease in bone mineral; density (BMD) and content (BMC), Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), parathyroid hormone (PTH) and calcitonin levels. Furthermore, ovariectomy induced significant elevation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAP 5b) and receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF-kappa β) ligand (RANKL) concentration. Conversely, osteoprotegerin (OPG) and OPG/RANKL ratio were decreased following ovariectomy. The present work suggests that CAE has antiosteoporotic action against ovariectomy effects and its activity may results from its phytochemical and/or phytoestrogen contents.

Conclusion: The ongoing study speculates that the CAE exerts its action through regulation of RANK/RANKL/OPG system. As, CAE not only promotes osteoblast differentiation, but also up-regulates OPG and downregulates RANKL secretion in osteoblasts, subsequently prevents bone loss and osteoporosis.

Keywords: Cicer arietinum; bone remodeling regulators; bone resorption marker; osteoporosis; ovariectomy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
HPLC chromatogram of methanolic extract of Cicer arietinum (CAE) seeds. (1) Daidzein, (2) Genistein, (3) Formononetin and (4) Biochanin A.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Photomicrographs of liver sections stained by hematoxylin and eosin showing the effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) at an acute limit dose (5000 mg/kg body weight) on liver architecture. A. Control group, showing the normal liver architecture with distinct hepatocytes (H), sinusoidal spaces (S), central vein (CV), kupffer cells (K), well preserved cytoplasm and prominent nuclei. B. CAE group, showing almost normal liver architecture. Scale bar = 20 µm.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) on bone mineral density (BMD) in ovariectomized rats. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 7). a: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with Sham group. b: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with OVX group.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) on Bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) activity in ovariectomized rats. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 7). a: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with Sham group. b: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with OVX group.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) on serum and tibial Ca in ovariectomized rats. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 7). a: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with Sham group. b: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with OVX group.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) on serum and tibial P in ovariectomized rats. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 7). a: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with Sham group. b: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with OVX group.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Effect of Cicer arietinum (CAE) on serum calcitonin and parathyroid hormones (PTH) levels in ovariectomized rats. Values are mean ± SEM (n = 7). a: significant (P< 0.05) as compared with Sham group. b: significant (P < 0.05) as compared with OVX group.
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