title: Tocotrienol supplementation in postmenopausal osteoporosis: evidence from a laboratory study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Accelerated bone loss that occurs in postmenopausal women has been linked to oxidative stress and increased free radicals. We propose the use of antioxidants to prevent and reverse postmenopausal osteoporosis. This study aimed to examine the effects of tocotrienol, a vitamin E analog, on bone loss due to estrogen deficiency. Our previous study showed that tocotrienol increased the trabecular bone volume and trabecular number in ovariectomized rats. In the current study, we investigated the effects of tocotrienol supplementation on various biochemical parameters in a postmenopausal osteoporosis rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 32 female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups. The baseline group was sacrificed at the start of the study, and another group was sham operated. The remaining rats were ovariectomized and either given olive oil as a vehicle or treated with tocotrienol at a dose of 60 mg/kg body weight. After four weeks of treatment, blood was withdrawn for the measurement of interleukin-1 (IL1) and interleukin-6 (IL6) (bone resorbing cytokines), serum osteocalcin (a bone formation marker) and pyridinoline (a bone resorption marker).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tocotrienol supplementation in ovariectomized rats significantly reduced the levels of osteocalcin, IL1 and IL6. However, it did not alter the serum pyridinoline level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tocotrienol prevented osteoporotic bone loss by reducing the high bone turnover rate associated with estrogen deficiency. Therefore, tocotrienol has the potential to be used as an anti-osteoporotic agent in postmenopausal women.
authors.affiliation: Universiti Kebangsaan, UKM Medical Faculty Jalan Raja Muda Abdul Aziz, Pharmacology Department, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Norliza
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.forename: Douglas Alwyn
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Luke
authors.forename: Ahmad Nazrun
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Shuid
authors.forename: Norazlina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Ima Nirwana
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Soelaiman
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001835:Body Weight; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D010052:Ovariectomy; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013997:Time Factors; D024508:Tocotrienols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000975:Antioxidants; D015415:Biomarkers; D007375:Interleukin-1; D015850:Interleukin-6; D024508:Tocotrienols; D015675:Osteocalcin; C015484:pyridinoline