Materials and methods: A novel bone scaffold has been developed using polyurethane (PE) added with wintergreen (WG) and titanium dioxide (TiO2). The developed nanocomposites were characterized through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Fourier transform and infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), contact angle measurement, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and tensile testing. Furthermore, anticoagulant assays, cell viability analysis and calcium deposition were used to investigate the biological properties of the prepared hybrid nanocomposites.
Results: FESEM depicted the reduced fibre diameter for the electrospun PE/WG and PE/WG/TiO2 than the pristine PE. The addition of WG and TiO2 resulted in the alteration in peak intensity of PE as revealed in the FTIR. Wettability measurements showed the PE/WG showed decreased wettability and the PE/WG/TiO2 exhibited improved wettability than the pristine PE. TGA measurements showed the improved thermal behaviour for the PE with the addition of WG and TiO2. Surface analysis indicated that the composite has a smoother surface rather than the pristine PE. Further, the incorporation of WG and TiO2 improved the anticoagulant nature of the pristine PE. In vitro cytotoxicity assay has been performed using fibroblast cells which revealed that the electrospun composites showed good cell attachment and proliferation after 5 days. Moreover, the bone apatite formation study revealed the enhanced deposition of calcium content in the fabricated composites than the pristine PE.
Conclusion: Fabricated nanocomposites rendered improved physico-chemical properties, biocompatibility and calcium deposition which are conducive for bone tissue engineering.
Methods: Three-month-old Sprague Dawley male rats (n=30) were randomised into five groups (n=6/group). Bone loss was induced by pantoprazole (3 mg/kg p.o.) in four groups, and they were treated concurrently with either calcium carbonate (77 mg p.o.), calcium carbonate (77 mg p.o.) plus annatto tocotrienol (60 mg/kg p.o.) or Caltrate Plus (31 mg p.o.) for 60 days. The rats were euthanised at the end of the experiment, and their femurs were harvested for X-ray micro-computed tomography, bone cellular histomorphometry and bone mechanical strength analysis.
Results: Pantoprazole caused significant deterioration of trabecular bone microstructures but did not affect other skeletal indices. Calcium supplementation with or without annatto tocotrienol prevented the deterioration of trabecular microstructures at the femur but did not improve other skeletal indices. Annatto tocotrienol did not enhance the skeletal actions of calcium, whereas Caltrate Plus did not affect the bone health indices in these rats.
Conclusion: Calcium supplementation per se can prevent the deterioration of bone trabecular microstructures in rats receiving long-term treatment of pantoprazole.
Methods: Three-month-old male Sprague Dawley rats were assigned to normal control, H. pylori-inoculated group (negative control) and H. pylori-inoculated group receiving triple therapy consisting of omeprazole [2.035 mg/kg body weight (b.w)], amoxicillin (102.80 mg/kg b.w) and clarithromycin (51.37 mg/kg b.w) (n=6/group). H. pylori infection developed for four weeks after inoculation, followed by two-week triple therapy. At the end of the treatment period, femoral bones of the rats were harvested for analysis. Bone mineral density and content of the femurs were determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, while bone strength was measured with a universal mechanical tester.
Results: Bone mineral content was significantly lower in the negative control group compared to the triple therapy group (p=0.014). Triple therapy decreased strain (vs negative control, p=0.002) and displacement of the femur (vs normal control, p=0.004; vs untreated control, p=0.005). No significant difference was observed in other parameters among the study groups (p>0.05).
Conclusion: Short-term triple therapy increases bone mineral content but decreases bone strength of rats. Skeletal prophylaxis should be considered for patients on short-term triple therapy containing PPI.
METHODS AND RESULTS: The anti-ageing mechanism of three probiotics strains Lactobacillus fermentum DR9, Lactobacillus paracasei OFS 0291 and L. helveticus OFS 1515 were evaluated on gastrocnemius muscle and tibia of d-galactose-induced ageing rats. Upon senescence induction, aged rats demonstrated reduced antioxidative genes CAT and SOD expression in both bone and muscle compared to the young rats (P bone and muscle compared to the aged rats (P bone.
CONCLUSIONS: Lactobacillus fermentum DR9 appeared to be the strongest strain in modulation of musculoskeletal health during ageing.
SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The study demonstrated the protective effects of the bacteria on muscle and bone through antioxidative and anti-inflammatory actions. Therefore, L. fermentum DR9 may serve as a promising targeted anti-ageing therapy.
METHODS: Ovariectomized, diabetic female rats were given M. pumilum leave aqueous extract (MPLA) (50 and 100 mg/kg/day), estrogen, glibenclamide and estrogen plus glibenclamide for 28 consecutive days. At the end of the treatment, fasting blood glucose (FBG), serum insulin, Ca2+, PO43- and bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP) levels were measured. Rats were sacrificed and femur bones were harvested for determination of expression level and distribution of RANK, RANKL, OPG and oxidative stress and inflammatory proteins by molecular biological techniques.
RESULTS: 100 mg/kg/day MPLA treatment decreased the FBG and BALP levels but increased the serum insulin, Ca2+ and PO43- levels in estrogen deficient, diabetic rats. Expression and distribution of RANKL, NF-κB p65, IKKβ, IL-6, IL-1β and Keap-1 decreased however expression and distribution of RANK, OPG, BMP-2, Type-1 collagen, Runx2, TRAF6, Nrf2, NQO-1, HO-1, SOD and CAT increased in the bone of estrogen deficient, diabetic rats which received 100 mg/kg/day MPLA with greater effects than estrogen-only, glibenclamide-only and estrogen plus glibenclamide treatments.
CONCLUSION: MPLA helps to overcome the adverse effect of estrogen deficiency and DM on the bone and thus this herb could potentially be used for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women with diabetes.
METHODS: A systematic review of the literature was conducted to identify relevant studies on the effects of caffeic acid on bone. A comprehensive search was conducted from July to November 2020 using PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. Cellular, animal and human studies reporting the effects of caffeic acid, as a single compound, on bone cells or bone were considered.
RESULTS: The literature search found 226 articles on this topic, but only 24 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The results showed that caffeic acid supplementation reduced osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, possibly through its antioxidant potential and increased expression of osteoblast markers. However, some studies showed that caffeic acid did not affect bone resorption in ovariectomized rats and might impair bone mechanical properties in normal rats.
CONCLUSION: Caffeic acid potentially regulates the bone remodelling process by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, as well as osteoblast apoptosis. Thus, it has medicinal values against bone diseases.