Effect of coumestrol on bone metabolism in organ culture.
Coumestrol, a representative phytoestrogen, inhibited bone resorption-stimulating agent-induced bone resorption, whereas it did not inhibit basal bone resorption of cultured fetal rat limb bone. Coumestrol increased the calcium content of 9-d-old chick embryonic femurs in organ culture, indicating that this phytoestrogen stimulated bone-mineralizing activity. Therefore, coumestrol is a unique substance in that it inhibits bone resorption and, at the same time, stimulates bone mineralization. Coumestrol exhibited less estrogenic activity than 17 beta-estradiol as estimated by the increase in uterine weight of ovariectomized rats. As coumestrol has less estrogenic activity than 17 beta-estradiol, it may prove to be a more potent drug against bone diseases including osteoporosis.
Tsutsumi
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Central Research Laboratories, Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nagano, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D002642:Chick Embryo; D003375:Coumestrol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D009924:Organ Culture Techniques; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014599:Uterus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development
D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D004968:Estrogens, Non-Steroidal; D010281:Parathyroid Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; D003375:Coumestrol