Effect of Elcatonin on Bone Strength in Ovariectomized Rats

Abstract

After experimentally inducing osteoporosis in rats, elcatonin(ECT) was administered, and bone strength was measured and bone morphometry performed to ascertain differences in these parameters attributable to admmistration doses and period. In the present experiment, 119 twelve-month-old female Wistar rats were used, with ovariectomy (OVX) being performed on 91 rats. These rats were kept for six more months and used in the experiment after dividing them into five groups: sham ovariectomy group (sham group), 1U/kg elcatonin administration group (1U group), 5U/kg elcatonin administration group (5U group), 25U/kg elcatonin administration group (25U group), and non-administrated group (Non group). The results showed that cancellous bone strength increased significantly in response to administration of elcatonin, and this effect was particularly strong when 1 or 5 U/kg of elcatonin administered for one month. However, there were no clear increases in cortical bone strength. The results of bone morphometry suggest that osteogenesis increased with a low-dose and snort-term administration of elcatonin. The present findings suggest that low dose administration of elcatonin for a short period of time contributes to the prevention of compression fractures by increasing the strength of the vertebral body, which is rich in cancellous bone.