Synergistic Effect of Genistein and Casein Phosphopeptides on Bone Components in Young and Elderly Female Rats

Abstract

The effect of genistein and casein phosphopeptides (CPP) on bone components in the femoral tissue of young and elderly rats was investigated. Genistein has been shown to directly stimulate bone formation, and CPP has been reported to increase intestinal calcium absorption. Genistein (10 or 50μg/100g body weight) or CPP (40mg/100g) was orally administered to young (5 weeks old) or elderly (50 weeks old) rats for 14d. The administration of genistein (50μg/100g) resulted in a significant increase in the femoral dry weight, calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) content in the femoral-diaphyseal and metaphyseal tissue of young and elderly rats. The administration of CPP (40mg/100g) caused a significant increase in the femoral dry weight of young and elderly rats. CPP administration increased significantly the diaphyseal calcium content in young rats, but it did not have an effect on the diaphyseal and metaphyseal alkaline phosphatase activity and DNA content. The genistein (50μg/100g)-increased femoral dry weight, calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity, and DNA content in the diaphyseal and metaphyseal tissue of young rats was significantly enhanced by the simultaneous administration of CPP (40mg/100g). In elderly rats, this enhancement was resulted in the metaphyseal tissue. This study demonstrates that the combination of genistein and CPP administration has a synergistic-anabolic effect on bone components in rats with increasing age, suggesting that it may have a role in the prevention of osteoporosis.