Effects of stanozolol on bone mineral density and bone biomechanical properties of osteoporotic rats.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of stanozolol on the bone mineral density (BMD) and bone biomechanical properties of rats with glucocorticoid (GC)-induced osteoporosis (OP).


METHODS
Twenty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats of 3-month old were randomly divided into Group A (the basal control group), Group B (the age-matched control group), Group C (GC-induced OP group) and Group D (stanozolol-administrated group), 7 in each group. The rats in Group A were killed when experiment commenced, and those in Group B were given normal saline ig., while those in Groups C and D received the prednisone acetate (4.5 mg/kg, twice a week) alone and in combination with stanozolol (0.5 mg/kg, 6 times a week), respectively. Ninety days later, the bilateral femur and the 5th lumbar vertebra of the rats were isolated for BMD test using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry scanner, and the torsion test, three-point bending test and compression test using electronic testing device.


RESULTS
Compared with Group B, the mean BMD of the femur and the 5th lumbar vertebra in Group C decreased by 14.64% (P<0.01), the BMD of the bilateral distal femoral segment and the 5th lumbar vertebra decreased by 21.42% (P<0.01), 19.62% (P<0.05) and 23.48% (P<0.01) respectively. The load that the femur withstood in three-point bending test decreased by 17.1% (P<0.05), and the other biomechanical parameters also declined. When compared with Group C, the BMD in Group D increased, the torsional angle of the femur increased by 72.5% (P<0.05) and the other biomechanical parameters also tended to increase.


CONCLUSIONS
BMD and biomechanical properties of the rat femur and the 5th lumbar vertebra decrease in response to a long-term GC administration, which can be prevented by stanozolol.
Liao
Jin-min
JM
Institute of Clinical Anatomy, First Military Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China. jinminliao@yahoo.com.cn
Wu
Tie
T
Li
Qing-nan
QN
Hu
Bin
B
Huang
Lian-fang
LF
Li
Zhong-hua
ZH
Yuan
Lin
L
Zhong
Shi-zhen
SZ
D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013197:Stanozolol / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
D005938:Glucocorticoids; D013197:Stanozolol