Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effect of quercetin on bone metabolism and serum osteocalcin in osteoporotic rats

Hai Yang¹, Juntao Liu², Man Wang³, Lu Wang⁴, Lixiong Zhang⁵, Fan Zhang²

¹Department of Orthopedics; ²Department of Surgery; ³Department of Gynecology; ⁴Department of Critical Medicine; ⁵Department of Internal Medicine, Hanchuan People's Hospital, Hanchuan, PR China.

For correspondence:-

Accepted: 28 January 2020 Published: 29 February 2020

Citation: Yang H, Liu J, Wang M, Wang L, Zhang L, Zhang F. Effect of quercetin on bone metabolism and serum osteocalcin in osteoporotic rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2020; 19(2):277-281 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v19i2.9

© 2020 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the effect of quercetin on bone metabolism and serum osteocalcin in osteoporotic rats.

Methods: Sixty specific pathogen-free rats were randomly divided into control group, model group; high, medium and low dose quercetin groups, and diethylstilbestrol group, with 10 rats in each group. The high, middle and low dose quercetin groups were given quercetin suspension at doses of 200, 100, 50 mg/kg/day, respectively; the ethylene estradiol group was given ethylene estradiol (1.0 mg/kg/week), while control rats received ethylene estradiol at doses of 200, 100, 50 mg/kg/day. Rats in the model group were given saline. Samples were taken after 6 weeks of administration. The levels of serum bone-derived alkaline phosphatase (BALP), estradiol (E2) and serum osteocalcin (BGP) in femur tissue were measured using ELISA kits. Bone mineral density (BMD) was determined using BMD tester.

Results: Relative to normal rats, BALP and BGP levels in the model rats were markedly increased, while E2 was significantly lower (p < 0.5). Quercetin treatment led to significant increases in BALP and E2 levels in the middle and high dose groups, relative to the model group, while BGP levels in all quercetin treatment groups decreased significantly, when compared to model rats (p < 0.05). There were higher BMD values in quercetin and diethylstilbestrol groups than in model (p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Quercetin enhances bone formation and BMD, but decreases osteocalcin levels and maintains bone biomechanics in ovariectomized rats. Thus, it may find therapeutic application in maintaining bone health.

Keywords: Quercetin, Osteoporosis, Bone metabolism, Osteocalcin