Strontium-Doped Hydroxyapatite Incorporated With Naringin for Osteoporosis Treatment

Area of Science:

• Biomaterials Science
• Skeletal Biology
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Osteoporosis is a prevalent skeletal disease with increasing global incidence due to population aging.
• Existing osteoporosis treatments face unmet demands, necessitating novel therapeutic strategies.
• Strontium (Sr) and naringin are known to play roles in bone health and anti-osteoporosis effects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize strontium-doped mesoporous hydroxyapatite (Hap-Sr) particles.
• To combine Hap-Sr with naringin (NHap-Sr) for potential osteoporosis treatment.
• To evaluate the efficacy and safety of NHap-Sr in cellular models of bone turnover.

Main Methods:

• Strontium-doped mesoporous hydroxyapatite (Hap-Sr) particles were synthesized via coprecipitation at varying Sr molar ratios (10%, 20%, 30%).
• Naringin was loaded onto the optimal Hap-Sr particles (Hap-Sr20%), forming NHap-Sr20%.
• Characterization included X-ray diffractometry, transmission electron microscopy, Zetasizer analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis; cellular assays assessed cytotoxicity and bone turnover markers.

Main Results:

• Sr²⁺ substitution for Ca²⁺ expanded the hydroxyapatite crystal lattice.
• Hap-Sr20% exhibited optimal mesoporous structure, particle size (740-1600 nm), and naringin loading efficiency (8.5%).
• NHap-Sr20% demonstrated no cytotoxicity, preserved mitochondrial membrane potential, and upregulated key bone formation markers (ALP, OCN, OPG, RANKL) in osteoblast-like cells.

Conclusions:

• The synthesized NHap-Sr20% particles show significant potential for promoting bone formation.
• This combined strontium-doped hydroxyapatite and naringin strategy offers a promising therapeutic approach for osteoporosis.
• Further investigation is warranted to explore the in vivo efficacy of NHap-Sr for osteoporosis treatment.