Bone protective effects of purified extract from Ruscus aculeatus on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats

Ruscus aculeatus is a source of steroidal saponins that could mimic sex hormones and could help alleviate the risk of fracture in osteoporotic patients. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro effects of an extract from R. aculeatus (ERA) on the proliferation of human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cell line and to investigate the effects of the ERA administered orally for 10 weeks at three doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) on the bone structure of rats with estrogen deficiency induced by bilateral ovariectomy. Bone turnover markers, hormones, histopathological and radiological disturbances were evidenced in the ovariectomized rats. ERA recovered most of the affected parameters in a dose-dependent manner similar to diosgenin and alendronate used as positive comparators. The main active compounds of ERA (ruscogenin and neoruscogenin) were docked into the Vit. D receptor and oestrogen receptors alpha and beta, and stable complexes were found with binding scores equal to those of estradiol and diosgenin. The findings of this study provide for the first time an insight into the effects of ERA on bone structure and suggest that ERA could be developed as a potential candidate for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporotic complications.