title: Time and dose-dependent effects of Labisia pumila on the bone strength of postmenopausal osteoporosis rat model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Post-menopausal osteoporosis has long been treated and prevented by estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). Despite its effectiveness, ERT is associated with serious adverse effects. Labisia pumila var. alata (LP) is a herb with potential as an alternative agent to ERT due to its phytoestrogenic, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects on bone. This study aimed to determine the effects of LP supplementation on bone biomechanical strength of postmenopausal osteoporosis rat model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-six female Sprague-Dawley rats aged 4 to 5 months old were randomly divided into six groups; six rats in the baseline group (BL) and eighteen rats in each group of; Sham- operated (Sham), ovariectomised control (OVXC) and ovariectomised with daily oral gavages of Premarin at 64.5 μg/kg (ERT), LP at 20 mg/kg (LP20) and LP at 100 mg/kg (LP100) respectively. These groups were subdivided into three, six and nine weeks of treatment periods. Rats in BL group were euthanized before the start of the study, while other rats were euthanized after completion of their treatments. Femora were dissected out for biomechanical strength analysis using Instron Universal Model 5848 Micro Tester.
  
  
  RESULTS
  OVXC group showed deterioration in the bone biomechanical strength with time. Both ERT and LP supplemented rats showed improvements in bone strength parameters such as maximum load, displacement, stiffness, stress, and Young Modulus. The most improved bone strength was seen in rats given LP at the dose of 100 mg/kg for nine weeks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LP supplementation at 100 mg/kg was more effective than ERT in reversing ovariectomy-induced bone biomechanical changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, 50300 KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. nadiaeffendy@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Nadia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohd Effendy
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. shahrum@eng.ukm.my.
authors.forename: Shahrum
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Abdullah
authors.affiliation: Department of Mechanical and Materials Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. faridz@eng.ukm.my.
authors.forename: Mohd Faridz Mod
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Yunoh
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, 50300 KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. anazrun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Ahmad Nazrun
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Shuid
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D010052:Ovariectomy; D048789:Phytoestrogens / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D029623:Primulaceae; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013314:Stress, Mechanical
chemical_list: D048789:Phytoestrogens; D010936:Plant Extracts