title: The anti-osteoporotic effect of Eurycoma Longifolia in aged orchidectomised rat model.
abstract: Osteoporosis in elderly men is becoming an important health issue with the aging society. Elderly men with androgen deficiency are exposed to osteoporosis and can be treated with testosterone replacement. In this study, Eurycoma longifolia (EL), a plant with androgenic effects, was supplemented to an androgen-deficient osteoporotic aged rat as alternative to testosterone. Aged 12 months old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into groups of normal control (NC), sham-operated (SO), orchidectomised-control (OrxC), orchidectomised and supplemented with EL (Orx + El) and orchidectomised and given testosterone (Orx + T). After 6 weeks of treatment, serum osteocalcin, serum terminal C-telopeptide Type 1 collagen (CTX) and the fourth lumbar bone calcium were measured. There were no significant differences in the osteocalcin levels before and after treatment in all the groups. The CTX levels were also similar for all the groups before treatment. However, after treatment, orchidectomy had caused significant elevation of CTX compared to normal control rats. Testosterone replacements in orchidectomised rats were able to prevent the rise of CTX. Orchidectomy had also reduced the bone calcium level compared to normal control rats. Both testosterone replacement and EL supplementation to orchidectomised rats were able to maintain the bone calcium level, with the former showing better effects. As a conclusion, EL prevented bone calcium loss in orchidectomised rats and therefore has the potential to be used as an alternative treatment for androgen deficient osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, 50300 KL, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Ahmad Nazrun
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Shuid
authors.forename: Mohd Firdaus
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Abu Bakar
authors.forename: Tajul Ariff
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Abdul Shukor
authors.forename: Norliza
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.forename: Norazlina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Ima Nirwana
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Soelaiman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000728:Androgens / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D003649:Decalcification, Pathologic / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D016903:Drug Monitoring; D035701:Eurycoma; D020249:Hormone Replacement Therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D028321:Plant Preparations; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013739:Testosterone / Q000172:deficiency / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D024042:Collagen Type I; D028321:Plant Preparations; D015675:Osteocalcin; D013739:Testosterone; D002118:Calcium