The Role of Piper sarmentosum Aqueous Extract as a Bone Protective Agent, a Histomorphometric Study

Abstract

Glucocorticoids are one of the causes of secondary osteoporosis. The aqueous extract of <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> contains flavonoids that possess antioxidant effects. In this study, we determined the effects of aqueous <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> leaf extract on structural, dynamic and static histomorphometric changes from osteoporotic bones of rats induced with glucocorticoids. Thirty-two Sprague-Dawley rats were divided equally into four groups-Sham control group given vehicles (intramuscular (IM) olive oil and oral normal saline); AC: Adrenalectomised (Adrx) control group given IM dexamethasone (DEX) (120 μg/kg/day) and vehicle (oral normal saline); AP: Adrx group administered IM DEX (120 μg/kg/day) and aqueous <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> leaf extract (125 mg/kg/day) orally; and AG: Adrx group administered IM DEX (120 μg/kg/day) and oral glycyrrhizic acid (GCA) (120 mg/kg/day). Histomorphometric measurements showed that the bone volume, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, osteoid and osteoblast surfaces, double-labelled trabecular surface, mineralizing surface and bone formation rate of rats given aqueous <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> leaf extract were significantly increased (<i>p</i> < 0.05), whereas the trabecular separation and osteoclast surface were significantly reduced (<i>p</i> < 0.05). This study suggests that aqueous <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> leaf extract was able to prevent bone loss in prolonged glucocorticoid therapy. Thus, <i>Piper sarmentosum</i> has the potential to be used as an alternative medicine against osteoporosis and osteoporotic fractures in patients undergoing long-term glucocorticoid therapy.