Preventive effect of Abelmoschus manihot (L.) Medik. on bone loss in the ovariectomised rats

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 99; no. 1; pp. 55 - 60
• Main Authors: Puel, C., Mathey, J., Kati-Coulibaly, S., Davicco, M.J., Lebecque, P., Chanteranne, B., Horcajada, M.N., Coxam, V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 13-05-2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Abelmoschus; Abelmoschus - chemistry; Abelmoschus manihot; Absorptiometry, Photon; animal disease models; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Body Weight - drug effects; Bone and Bones - metabolism; Bone Density - drug effects; Bone protective effects; bone resorption; Female; General pharmacology; herbal medicines; Humans; Life Sciences; Medical sciences; Organ Size - drug effects; Osteocalcin - blood; osteopenia; osteoporosis; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - metabolism; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - pathology; Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal - prevention & control; Ovariectomised rat; Ovariectomy; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phytotherapy; Plant Extracts - therapeutic use; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Uterus - drug effects; Abelmoschus manihot; Bone protective effects; Ovariectomised rat; Rat; Pharmacognosy; Rodentia; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Medicinal plant; Prevention; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Dicotyledones; Animal; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Euphorbiaceae; Spermatophyta; Bone defect; Manihot; ABELMOSCHUS MANIHOT; OVARIECTOMISED RAT; CONTROLE DE MALADIES; BONE PROTECTIVE EFFECT
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.01.047

Because the biggest culprit in pathogenesis of osteoporosis is oestrogen deficiency, hormone replacement therapy remained the mainstay for prevention. However most of postmenopausal women are more inclined to use natural alternative. We thus investigated the ability of
Abelmoschus manihot, a herbal medicine to prevent bone loss in ovariectomised rats. Female Wistar rats were sham operated (SH: 8) or ovariectomised (OVX: 24). On day 0, OVX rats were randomly assigned to groups as follows: eight received 10%
Abelmoschus manihot leaves in their diet, eight were given 15%
Abelmoschus manihot leaves and eight were untreated (OVX). Compounds were mixed with a soy protein-free diet and given orally for 3 months. At necropsy, bone mineral density (BMD) in the femur and in its metaphyseal zone was lower in OVX than SH (
p
<
0.05). This osteopenia was prevented by consumption of the highest dose of
Abelmoschus manihot leaves. Bone mineral content (BMC) in the total femur and its metaphyseal and diaphyseal subregions was improved, as well (
p
<
0.05). This could be explained by a trend towards decreased bone resorption. The lowest dose did not elicit any significant effect. In conclusion,
Abelmoschus manihot consumption, at the dose of 15% in the diet, provided bone-sparing effects by improving both BMD and BMC.