Potential protective effect of L-Arginine on cyclosporine A induced osteopenia in adult albino rats

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to assess the possible toxic effect of cyclosporine A [CsA] on bone and the potential protective effect of L-arginine on CsA-induced osteopenia. The study was conducted on 120 adult male albino rats divided into eight equal groups Group I [negative control], group II [distilled water], group III [corn oil], group IV [L-arginine, low dose], group V [L-arginine, high dose], group VI [CsA], group VII [L-arginine, low dose + CsA] and group VIII [L- arginine, high dose + CsA]. The duration of the study was six weeks, then the level of urinary deoxypyridinoline [Dpd] and N- terminal telopeptide [NTx] [markers of bone resorption], serum calcium, osteocalcin and bone specific alkaline phosphatase [BSALP] [markers of bone formation] were measured. Also, bone mineral density [BMD] of spine using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry [DEXA] was measured. The results showed that CsA had an osteopenic effect and L-arginine provoked a significant protective effect