title: The effect of levetiracetam on rat bone mass, structure and metabolism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the effect of levetiracetam (LEV) Lon bone mineral density (BMD), mineral content (BMC), bone markers, body composition and bone mechanical strength in the orchidectomised (ORX) rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  16 orchidectomised Wistar rats were divided into control and test groups, 8 rats in each group. The control rats received standard laboratory diet (SLD) while rats in the test group were fed with SLD enriched with LEV for 12 weeks. BMD was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry at the whole body, lumbar spine and femur. Bone marker concentrations were examined of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in serum, and amino-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PINP), carboxy-terminal cross-linking telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX-I), bone alkaline phosphatase (ALPL), and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) in bone homogenate. The femurs were used for biomechanical testing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to the control group we found lower fat mass, lower BMD in the area of the left femur, lower BMC in both femurs, a reduced concentration of OPG, and an increased concentration of CTX-I of borderline statistical significance (p=0.0661). Biomechanical parameters did not differ between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Significant loss of BMD or BMC was seen at the left and right femur area in the LEV group. Administration of LEV in the ORX-rat model significantly decreased levels of OPG (marker of bone formation) in serum and increased levels of CTX-I (marker of bone resorption) in bone homogenate, but results in this study did not reveal any change in biomechanical bone strength. Administration of LEV in the ORX-rat model may reduce adipose tissue. Further studies in animals and humans will be needed to confirm these findings.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical Biochemistry and Diagnostics, Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Sona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fekete
authors.forename: Julius
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Simko
authors.forename: Iveta
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gradosova
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Malakova
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zivna
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Palicka
authors.forename: Pavel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zivny
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001823:Body Composition / Q000187:drug effects*; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000097:blood; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D024042:Collagen Type I / Q000097:blood; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D008297:Male; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000097:blood; D010889:Piracetam / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D024042:Collagen Type I; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D000077287:Levetiracetam; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; D010889:Piracetam
keywords: Antiepileptic drugs; Bone markers; Bone mineral density; Levetiracetam