Prevention of steroid-induced osteonecrosis by intravenous administration of vitamin E in a rabbit model.
BACKGROUND
We focused on vitamins with marked antioxidant potency to see whether their use might prevent the development of steroid-induced osteonecrosis.


METHODS
Fifteen Japanese white rabbits weighing about 3.5 kg were injected once into the right gluteal muscle with methylpred-nisolone (MPSL) 40 mg/kg (S group). In addition, 10 other rabbits received consecutive daily intravenous injections of vitamin E 50 mg/kg, starting from the day of MPSL administration (E group). All animals were killed 2 weeks after MPSL administration, and femurs were extracted and stained with H&E. Blood levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) were also measured.


RESULTS
In the S group the osteonecrosis development rate was 93%, in contrast to 0% in the E group (P < 0.01). Also, GSH levels in the S group abruptly decreased from the first day after MPSL administration, whereas in the E group, the decline in GSH levels was significantly suppressed on days 1 and 3 after MPSL administration (P< 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Vitamin E administration significantly inhibited steroid-induced oxidative stress. The results of this study suggest that the administration of vitamin E may be a novel and simple method to prevent the development of steroid-induced osteonecrosis.
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada-machi, Ishikawa 920-0293, Japan.
Tomoaki
T
Mikami
Toru
T
Ichiseki
Ayumi
A
Kaneuji
Yoshimichi
Y
Ueda
Tanzo
T
Sugimori
Kiyokazu
K
Fukui
Tadami
T
Matsumoto
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005271:Femur Head Necrosis / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D011817:Rabbits; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000008:administration & dosage*
D000975:Antioxidants; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D014810:Vitamin E; D005978:Glutathione; D008775:Methylprednisolone