title: Effect of vitamin K(2) on lumbar vertebral bone: histomorphometric analyses in experimental osteoporotic rats.
abstract: The in-vivo effect of vitamin K(2) on bone metabolism was investigated by histochemical and morphometric methods, using an animal model of osteoporosis. Eighteen female Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Rats in group A had sham ovariectomies, group B were ovariectomized, and group C were ovariectomized and received vitamin K(2), at 10 mg/kg per day, injected subcutaneously. The lumbar vertebral bones were evaluated 8 weeks after the operation by a modified tetrachrome method after decalcification. Mineralized bone areas, osteoid, and defectively mineralized bone areas in group B were markedly decreased compared with findings in group A, but these features in group C were not severely decreased. There was no significant difference in total bone areas and total bone volumes among the three groups. Accordingly, it appeared that vitamin K(2) had an effect in reducing mineralized bone loss after the ovariectomy. In conclusion, vitamin K(2) is thought to be beneficial for the properties of bone microarchitecture in the condition of osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Asahikawa Medical College, Midorigaoka-higashi 2-1-1-1, Asahikawa, Hokkaido 078-8510, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Xin
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Takemitsu
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Atsuta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000473:pathology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D024482:Vitamin K 2 / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000933:Antifibrinolytic Agents; D024482:Vitamin K 2