Effect of simvastatin on fracture healing in osteoporotic rats
- Author:
Fa-Ming TIAN
1
Author Information
1. Hebei United University
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
Bone mineral density;
Fracture healing;
Osteoporosis;
Simvastatin
- From:
Chinese Pharmaceutical Journal
2012;47(21):1719-1723
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVE: To verify the delayed process of fracture healing in osteoporosis rats, as well as to investigate the effect of simvastatin on osteoprotic fracture healing. METHODS: Fouty 12-week old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups with 8 animals in each group. All rats except those in group A and C rats received bilateral ovariectomy. The rats in group A received sham operation. The rats in group C, D and E underwent an operation 4 weeks after ovariectomy to establish the midshaft femur fracture model all fractured rats were treated with simvastatin (group E, 20 mg · kg-1 · d-1) or vehicle (group C, D) as control. Femurs from the A and B group rats sacrificed 4 weeks after ovariectomy operation were harvested for the bone mineral density assessment. The fractured rats were sacrificed 6 weeks after fracture. Radiographic evaluation (CR film) were taken to observe the fracture healing, a scoring system for CR film and bone mineral density were used to evaluate fracture healing quantitatively, and the femurs were then undecalcified for HE staining and subsequent histological observation. RESULTS: Four weeks after the ovariectomy operation, the BMD of rats in group B were significantly lower than those of group A(P < 0.05); In contrast to group C, a significant decreased BMD were observed in group D and E(P < 0.05); the rats in group E and D showed more clear fracture gap by CR films in most examples, indicating a delayed fracture healing process compared to group C, in which the rats showed more progressed callus consolidation, accordingly, the scores for evaluation of fracture healing in group C was significantly higher than those of group E and D (P < 0.05); the rats in group C showed more mature callus with partially lamellar bone formation, while a delayed fracture healing process was observed in group D and E characterized by more cartilage callus but no lamellar bone formation group. CONCLUSION: Compared to normal rats, osteoporotic rats show a delayed process of fracture repair. Though simvastatin shows potential ability to prevent bone loss and thereby to promote fracture healing, the contribution is so limited that more study of simvastatin on osteoporotic fracture healing is required.
