[The study on the anti-osteoporosis effect of clodronate in ovariectomized rats]

To evaluate the anti-osteoporosis effect of clodronate in ovariectomized rats, 44 female Wistar rats, aged 8 months, were divided randomly into 4 groups: the SHAM group (subjected to sham operation); the OVX group (subjected to bilateral ovariectomy); the E3 group (subjected to bilateral ovariectomy and treated after surgery with nilestriol 1 mg/kg BW by gavage once a week for 12 weeks), and the clodronate group (subjected to bilateral ovariectomy and treated after surgery with clodronate 5 mg/kg BW by subcutaneous injection twice a week for 12 weeks). All the animals were sacrificed 12 weeks after the operation. The blood and urine samples were collected for determination of biochemical indices. The humeri and tibiae were prepared for determination of net weight, ash weight, calcium and phosphorus content, bone density, as well as bone histopathology and histomorphometry. The left femora were processed for bone anti-curve power. The results showed that as compared with the SHAM group, the net weight, ash weight, calcium content, density and anti-curve power of bones, te trabecular bone volume and thickness were all significantly reduced in the OVS group, while its osteoblast index, osteoclast index and urine hydroxyproline content were obviously close to normal levels. The data indicates that both clodronate and E3 can effectively prevent bone loss in ovariectomized rats.