Thymoquinone Attenuates Ovariectomy Induced Alteration in Bone Architecture and Metabolism in Rats

Abstract

Thymoquinone (THQ) reported to have beneficial effects on bone disorders. Thus the present study was designed to investigate its protective effects on experimentally-induced osteoporosisin ovariectomized (OVX) rats. The OVX rats were treated with different doses (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg/day) of THQ for ten weeks. Bone turnover biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines were determined using ELISA techniques. Changes in bones cortical and trabecular morphometric parameters were determined using micro-CT scan. Body weights and abdominal fats were significantly increased in OVX rats while the uterus and femoral bone weights were markedly inhibited in OVX rats. Estrogen deficiency elevated the level of bone turnover biomarkers as well as inflammatory cytokines in serum. Moreover, cortical and trabecular morphometric parameters of the femoral bones were severely altered by ovariectomy operation.THQ treatments inhibited the increased bone turnover biomarkers and inflammatory cytokines in dose dependent manner. The altered morphometric parameters of the femoral bones were also markedly attenuated by THQ. Present data revealed that THQ has osteoprotective properties may be due to its ability to inhibit osteoclastogenesis inducing factors and inflammation, which stabilize the osteoclasts and decreased their bone matrix's degradation or resorption. We believe that this effect may be through its both the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.