Effect from simvastatin on osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebra in aging rats / 医用生物力学

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the role of simvastatin in preventing and curing osteoporosis vertebrae by examining the effect from simvastatin on osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebrae in aging rats. Methods Sixty 15-month-old male SD rats were divided into six groups the control group (injected with normal saline for three month), the baseline group (executed upon the gastric irrigation), the simavastatin-treated group (gastric irrigation with simavastatin at the dose of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg/kg/d, respectively, for three month). L4 vertebrae were checked by Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptionmetry (DXA), Peri-quantiy CT (pQCT) and mineral apposition rates test. L5 vertebrae were checked by mechanical compression test. Results The value of DXA, pQCT and mineral apposition rate of 10 mg simvastatin group were slightly higher than that of the control group, but no significant differences were found between the two groups. The bone material properties of 10 mg and 20 mg simvastatin group were better than those of the control group, with no significant differences. Conclusions Although 10 mg simvastatin group (equivalent to 12~24 mg/d for human) seemed to have better properties than the other simvastatin groups, but there were no significant differences among these simvastatin-treated group. It is indicated that simvastatin doesn't play a positive role in promoting osteogenesis of the lumbar vertebrae in aging rats, so it may have no preventing or curative effect for osteoporosis of the lumbar vertebrae.