Methylene blue inhibits the stimulation of bone mass by high doses of estradiol in male rats.
To elucidate the effect of methylene blue on bone metabolism we examined the rats treated with estradiol, with methylene blue alone and with estradiol and methylene blue. The mineral bone mass in the femurs of the animals was measured quantitatively. A significant increase of bone density and bone mineral content was found in the estradiol treated animals compared to animals without estradiol. The rise in bone mineral content after estradiol was inhibited by methylene blue. Methylene blue alone did not affect bone mineral mass. From our work the possibility arose that beside well known effect of estradiol on osteoblast receptors also other mechanism of estrogen action exists which possibly may include the effect of estrogen on cytosolic guanylate cyclase producing cGMP.
Third Department of Internal Medicine, Medical Faculty, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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Broulik
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Schreiber
D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004965:Estrogen Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005269:Femur / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008751:Methylene Blue / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D004965:Estrogen Antagonists; D008903:Minerals; D004958:Estradiol; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D006152:Cyclic GMP; D008751:Methylene Blue