Curcumin Protects against Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Changes in Rat Model

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a metabolic disease affecting both men and women especially in postmenopausal women. Curcumin possesses many medicinal properties. In this study, thirty two female Sprague-Dawley rats were used to determine the potential effect of curcumin in prevention of bone loss following ovariectomy. The animals were divided into Sham group, ovariectomised control, ovariectomised treated with curcumin 110 mg/kg and ovariectomised treated with Premarin 100 μg/kg. The treatments were given via daily oral gavages for 60 days. The structural parameters such as bone volume, trabecular number, trabecular thickness and trabecular separation were found to be deteriorated in ovariectomised rats compared to Sham group. Moreover, the reduced osteoblast count, the increased osteoclast count and increased eroded surface were found in ovariectomised groups. Treatment with curcumin was able to reverse all these ovariectomy-induced deteriorations. Curcumin treatment was as effective as Premarin in most parameters except the bone volume and eroded surface, which were better than Premarin. The high dose of curcumin treatment was not only able to reduce the osteoclast number but also increase the osteoblast count. Therefore, the potential effect of curcumin can be applied as an alternative to oestrogen for prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Attenuation of Oxidative Stress-Induced Osteoblast Apoptosis by Curcumin is Associated with Preservation of Mitochondrial Functions and Increased Akt-GSK3β Signaling

“…Most importantly, curcumin has attracted considerable interest because of its preventative effects on processes related to osteoporosis. Numerous in vitro studies indicate that curcumin inhibits osteoclast proliferation and differentiation by suppressing ROS generation, and thus prevents bone loss in rodent models of postmenopausal osteoporosis [15][16][17], diabetes [18], and Alzheimer's disease [19]. Moreover, curcumin shows similar benefits in rodent models of hindlimb suspension [20] and spinal cord injury [21].…”

Attenuation of hind-limb suspension-induced bone loss by curcumin is associated with reduced oxidative stress and increased vitamin D receptor expression

“…It has been widely used in Eastern populations, particularly as a traditional medicine in India and China, for the treatment of many diseases, including diabetes and diseases of the hepato-biliary, skin, rheumatoid, and gastrointestinal system [3,4]. Recently, curcumin has caught scientific attention as a potential therapeutic agent in ovariectomized mature rodent model of postmenopausal osteoporosis [5,6] and experimental periodontitis bone loss model [7]. In addition, treatment with curcumin improved bone microarchitecture and enhanced mineral density in APP/PS1 transgenic mice, a model of Alzheimer's disease [8].…”

Curcumin and its allied analogues: epigenetic and health perspectives - a review

“…Osteoporosis is a complex process that is closely associated with the sequence of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption and osteoblast-mediated bone formation (Hussan et al 2012). These unbalanced sequences decrease the bone mass and develop the bone disease, i.e.…”