Green tea polyphenols improve cortical bone and bone quality in alcohol‐induced bone loss of young male rats (1032.1)

Abstract

This study investigated the efficacy of green tea polyphenols (GTP) on bone microarchitecture and quality in young male rats using a binge drinking‐induced bone loss model. Forty‐eight 30‐day‐old SD male rats were assigned to a 2 (placebo vs. alcohol i.p. at 3 g/kg body weight on 3 consecutive days/week) × 3 (0, 0.1%, and 0.5% (wt/vol) GTP in drinking water) factorial deign for 6 weeks. Efficacy was evaluated by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry, micro‐CT, and 3‐point bending test. Data were analyzed by two‐way ANOVA followed by Fisher’s LSD test. The results show that 6‐week alcohol administration lowered bone mineral content, density, and strength at femur, trabecular bone volume at proximal tibia and lumbar vertebra, and cortical thickness at tibial mid‐diaphysis. Supplementation of GTP into drinking water for 6 weeks increased bone mineral density at femur and cortical thickness at tibial mid‐diaphysis, but had no impact on trabecular volume, number, thickness, and separation. An interaction between alcohol and GTP was observed in bone quality resulting in the alcohol+0.5% GTP group had the greatest energy to max force, deflection, and strain than other groups. This study demonstrates that GTP supplementation in drinking water can improve bone quality through enhancing cortical thickness in young male rats administered with alcohol, an animal model of binge drinking.