The effects of Labisia pumila var. alata on bone markers and bone calcium in a rat model of post-menopausal osteoporosis.
OBJECTIVE
Postmenopausal osteoporosis is mainly treated with estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). However, ERT causes side effects, mainly breast cancer, uterine cancer and thromboembolic problems. Labisia pumila var. arata (LPva), a herb with phytoestrogenic effects has the potential to be used as an alternative agent to ERT. This study was conducted to determine the effects of LPva on bone biochemical markers and bone calcium content in ovariectomised rats.


METHODS
Thirty two Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups, with 8 rats in each group. The first group was sham operated (Sham), the second group was ovariectomised (OVX), the third (LPva) and fourth group (ERT) were also ovariectomised and given LPva 17.5 mg/kg and Premarin(®) 64.5 μg/kg, respectively. Blood samples were taken before and after treatment to measure osteocalcin and C-terminal telopeptide of type 1 collagen levels using ELISA while the fifth lumbar bone samples were taken to measure bone calcium content using the Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS).


RESULTS
The osteocalcin levels were significantly higher in both the LPva and ERT groups compared to the OVX group. The CTX levels were significantly lower in both the LPva and ERT groups compared to the OVX group. However, only the ERT group had significantly higher bone calcium level compared to the OVX group.


CONCLUSIONS
The supplementation of 17.5 mg/kg of LPva to ovariectomised rats for 8 weeks was able to prevent the changes in bone biochemical markers but failed to prevent the bone calcium loss induced by ovariectomy.
Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, 50300 KL, Malaysia.
Ahmad Nazrun
AN
Shuid
Leong Lee
LL
Ping
Norliza
N
Muhammad
Norazlina
N
Mohamed
Ima Nirwana
IN
Soelaiman
D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D020834:Ethnopharmacology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008518:Medicine, East Asian Traditional; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry; D029623:Primulaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D015415:Biomarkers; D010936:Plant Extracts; D002118:Calcium