[Preventive and therapeutic effect of strontium ranelate on osteoporosis in rats subjected to simulated weightlessness].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effects of strontium ranelate on osteoporosis induced by simulated weightlessness in male rats.


METHODS
Twenty-seven male SD rats were randomly divided into 3 groups, namely the normal control group (group A) and two groups of weightlessness simulated by tail suspension (groups B and C). The rats in group C were treated with strontium ranelate, and those in the other two groups were given the same dose of normal saline for 28 consecutive days.


RESULTS
The rats in group B showed significantly lower levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) than those in group A (P<0.05), but serum calcium and phosphonium concentrations underwent no significant changes in the 3 groups (P>0.05). In the rats of group B, the trabeculae of the femur became thinner, fragile, and discontinuous with reduced quantity as compared with those in group A. The rats in group C had greater number of the trabeculae than those in group B with decreased resorption surface and more regular arrangement of the collagen fibers.


CONCLUSIONS
Strontium ranelate may produce beneficial effect on the bone microstructure, reduce bone loss and stimulate bone formation in male rats subjected to simulated weightlessness.
Yang
Rui
R
Department of Endocrinology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510282. yangrui91@163.com.
Huang
Zhen
Z
Cai
De-hong
DH
Zhang
Hua
H
Lai
A-na
AN
Zhang
Zhen
Z
Sun
Ping
P
Chen
Hong
H
D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013876:Thiophenes / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation / Q000009:adverse effects*
D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013876:Thiophenes; C081587:strontium ranelate