Supplemental Intake of Isoflavones and Zinc-Containing Mineral Mixture Enhances Bone Components in the Femoral Tissue of Rats with Increasing Age.

Abstract

The effect of the supplemental intake of isoflavone and a zinc-containing mineral mixture on bone components in the femoral tissue of rats was investigated. Rats (5 weeks old) were orally administered either vehicle, isoflavone glycoside (5mg/100g body weight), aglycone isofavone (5mg/100g, including 3.772mg daidzein, 0.395mg genistein, and 0.833mg glycitein), zinc-containing mineral mixture (0.833mg zinc, 50mg calcium, 25mg magnesium, and 0.208μg vitamin D3 per 100g body weight, respectively), or both aglycone isoflavone (5mg/100g) and zinc-containing mineral mixture for 7d. Administrations resulted in a significant increase in femoral dry weight, calcium content, alkaline phosphatase activity, and DNA content in the femoral-diaphyseal and metaphyseal tissues. Femoral zinc content was significantly increased by the administration of zinc-containing mineral mixtures with or without aglycone isoflavone. The effect of aglycone isoflavone in elevating bone components was significantly enhanced in combination with the zinc-containing mineral mixture. Moreover, the oral administration of both aglycone isoflavones and zinc-containing mineral mixture to aged rats (50 weeks old) for 21d resulted in a significant increase in femoral dry weight, zinc content, and bone components. This study demonstrates that supplemental intake of both aglycone isoflavone and a zinc-containing mineral mixture has an anabolic effect on bone components in aged rats, suggesting the role of nutrients in the prevention of osteoporosis with increasing age.