RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of the decoction of Rhizoma Dioscoreae septemlobae (RD) on the biomechanical and bone histomorphometric parameters of femur in the ovariectomized rats. METHODS: 25 female Wistar rats without pregnancy and deliver were divided into 5 groups randomly: sham (sham-operation), ovariectomy (OVX), OVX + high dosage RD (4 g/kg x d), OVX + middle dosage RD (2 g/kg x d) and OVX + low dosage RD (1 g/kg x d), n = 5 in every group. After intragastric administration 12-week period continuously, the biomechanical and the bone histomorphometric parameters of the femur of the rats in every group were determined, respectively, including percentage of trabecular bone volume (TBV%), percentage of trabecular osteoid (TOS%), mean osteoid width (MOSW), percentage of mineralizing surface (MdS%), percentage of double mineralizing surface (DMds%), percentage of DMds/MdS (%), percentage of travecular formation surface (TFS%), percentage of trabecular resorption surface (TRS%), mineral apposition rate (MAR), mineralizing lag time (MLT). RESULTS: The maximum loading, deflection, the maximum strain of the femur in the OVX group was 125.78 +/- 15.48 (N), 1.87 +/- 0.22 (mm), 9.34 +/- 1.10 (%), it was significantly lower than that in the sham group ( P< 0.05, P < 0.01), respectively. The maximum loading and maximum stress was increased in different extent in the every dose group of OVX + RD, respectively. TBV% of femur was significantily lower in the OVX group than that in the sham group (P < 0.01). The MdS%, DMds%, DMds/MdS (%), TOS%, MOSW, TRS%, MAR was significantly higher in the OVX group than that in the sham group, respectively (P < 0.01). In the RA high and middle dosage group, the TBV% of femur was significantly higher than that in the model group (P < 0.05), and the MdS%, DMds%, DMds/MdS (%), TRS%, TOS%, MOSW, MAR was significantly lower than that in the model group, respectively (P < 0.05), and MLT was decurtated slightly (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The decoction of RD can decline the bone turnover and the loss of bone of femur in the ovariectomized rats.
