title: Effect of simvastatin on osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebrae in ovariectomized rats.
abstract: The aim of the present study was to assess the role of simvastatin on osteoporosis of the vertebrae by examining the effect of simvastatin on the osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebra in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. A total of 60 6-month-old female Sprague Dawley rats were divided into one sham group and five ovariectomized groups, consisting of four simvastatin groups and one control group. Four dosages of simvastatin (5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/d) were administered by gavage for three months. L4 vertebrae were examined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) to determine the mineral apposition rate (MAR). L5 vertebrae were examined using a compression biomechanical test. Although the measurements from DEXA, pQCT and MAR, and the biomechanical parameters in the OVX + simvastatin rats were higher than those for the OVX + vehicle group, no significant differences were detected. Therefore, simvastatin may not improve osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebra in OVX rats or prevent osteoporosis of the spinal vertebrae.
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Implant Central Lab, Orthopedic Department, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Teng
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Implant Central Lab, Orthopedic Department, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Tingting
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Implant Central Lab, Orthopedic Department, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yongqiang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Implant Central Lab, Orthopedic Department, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Zhenan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: School of Mathematics and Information Science, Shanghai Lixin University of Commerce, Shanghai 201620, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Litian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Orthopedic Implant Central Lab, Orthopedic Department, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai 200011, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Ming
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liu
keywords: osteogenesis; osteoporosis; ovariectomized; simvastatin