alendronate, Fosamax
Protective effect of taurine against alendronate-induced gastric damage in rats.

Sener G, Sehirli O, Cetinel S, Midillioglu S, Gedik N, Ayanoglu-Dulger G.

Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Marmara University, Haydarpasa, 34668, Istanbul, Turkey. gokselsener hotmail.com

Alendronate (ALD) causes serious gastrointestinal adverse effects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether taurine (TAU), a semi-essential amino acid and an antioxidant, improves the alendronate-induced gastric injury. Rats were administered 20 mg/kg ALD by gavage for 4 days, either alone or following treatment with TAU (50 mg/kg, i.p.). On the last day of treatment, following drug administration, pylorus ligation was performed and 2 h later, rats were killed and stomachs were removed. Gastric acidity and tissue ulcer index values, lipid peroxidation and glutathione (GSH) levels, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity as well as the histologic appearance of the stomach tissues were determined. Chronic oral administration of ALD induced significant gastric damage, increasing lipid peroxidation, MPO activity and collagen content, as well as decreasing tissue GSH levels. Treatment with TAU prevented the damage and also the changes in biochemical parameters. Findings of the present study suggest that ALD induces oxidative gastric damage by a local irritant effect, and that TAU ameliorates this damage by its antioxidant and/or membrane-stabilizing effects.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15660965&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax



alendronate, Fosamax
Effect of administration of alendronate sodium and retinol on the mechanical properties of the femur in ovariectomized rats.

Rliwinski L, Janiec W, Pytlik M, Folwarczna J, Kaczmarczyk-Sedlak I, Pytlik W, Cegiela U, Nowinska B.

Department of Pharmacology, Medical University of Silesia, Jagiellonska 4, PL 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland.

Alendronate sodium, an aminobisphosphonate with potent antiresorptive activity, is used in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Retinol, as a component of multivitamin preparations, is frequently used especially by elderly people. There are no reports on the interaction of alendronate sodium and retinol. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of administration of alendronate sodium and retinol on mechanical properties of the femoral bone in bilaterally ovariectomized rats. The experiments were carried out on 3-month-old Wistar rats, divided into 7 groups: I - sham-operated control rats, II - ovariectomized control rats, III - ovariectomy + alendronate sodium 3 mg/kg po, IV - ovariectomy + retinol 700 IU/kg po, V - ovariectomy + retinol 3500 IU/kg po, VI - ovariectomy + alendronate sodium 3 mg/kg po + retinol 700 IU/kg po, VII - ovariectomy + alendronate sodium 3 mg/kg po + retinol 3500 IU/kg po. The drugs were administered to the rats daily by oral gavage for 28 days. Body mass gain, bone mass, bone mineral content and calcium content in the femur and L-4 vertebra and mechanical properties of the whole femur (extrinsic stiffness, ultimate load, breaking load, deformation caused by the ultimate load) and the neck of the femur (load at fracture), were examined. Bilateral ovariectomy induced osteopenic changes in the rat skeletal system. Alendronate sodium (3 mg/kg po) counteracted the development of osteopenia induced by ovariectomy. Retinol at both used doses unfavorably affected the examined bone parameters of ovariectomized rats. Retinol administered with alendronate sodium lessened the preventive action of alendronate on the development of osteopenic changes in the skeletal system of ovariectomized rats.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15662095&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax



alendronate, Fosamax
Alendronate inhibits bone resorption at the bone-screw interface.

Miyaji T, Nakase T, Azuma Y, Shimizu N, Uchiyama Y, Yoshikawa H.

Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Osaka University Medical School, Osaka, Japan. miyaji ort.med.osaka-u.ac.jp

In the current study, we investigated whether the systemic administration of alendronate, a third-generation bisphosphonate, suppressed the loosening of screws at the bone-screw interface. We systemically administered alendronate to rats fitted with external fixators. External fixators with two half pins were applied to the right femurs of rats, and alendronate was administrated once a week during a 5-week postoperative period. Radiographic, histologic, and immunohistochemical findings subsequently were analyzed. Treatment with alendronate reduced the width of the fibrous loosening membrane and the number of osteoclasts at the bone-screw interface. These findings indicate that systemic treatment with alendronate exerts an inhibitory effect on local bone resorption at the bone-screw interface.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15662324&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax



alendronate, Fosamax
The treatment of osteoporosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving glucocorticoids: a comparison of alendronate and intranasal salmon calcitonin.

Tascioglu F, Colak O, Armagan O, Alatas O, Oner C.

Department of Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Osmangazi University Faculty of Medicine, 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey, fbatmaz superonline.com.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of alendronate and intranasal salmon calcitonin (sCT) treatments on bone mineral density and bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving low-dose glucocorticoids.METHODS: Fifty osteoporotic postmenopausal women with RA, who had been treated with low-dose corticosteroids for at least 6 months, were randomized to receive alendronate 10 mg/day or sCT 200 IU/day for a period of 24 months. All patients received calcium supplementation 1,000 mg and vitamin D 400 IU daily. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine, femoral neck, and trochanter was measured annually using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Bone metabolism measurements included urinary deoxypyridinoline (DPD), serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), and serum osteocalcin (OC).RESULTS: Over 2 years, the lumbar spine (4.34%, P <0.001), femoral neck (2.52%, P <0.05), and trochanteric (1.29%, P <0.05) BMD in the alendronate group increased significantly. The sCT treatment increased lumbar spine BMD (1.75%, P <0.05), whereas a significant bone loss occurred at the femoral neck at month 24 (-3.76%, P <0.01). A nonsignificant decrease in the trochanteric region was observed in the sCT group (-0.81%). The difference between the groups with respect to the femoral neck and trochanteric BMD was statistically significant ( P <0.001and P <0.05, respectively). The decreases in urinary DPD (-21.87%, P <0.001), serum BAP (-10.60%, P <0.01), and OC (-19.59%, P <0.05) values were statistically significant in the alendronate group, whereas nonsignificant decreases were observed in the sCT group (-5.77%, -1.96%, and -4.31%, respectively). A significant difference was found in the DPD and BAP levels between the two treatment groups in favor of the alendronate group at all time points ( P =0.001 and P <0.05, respectively).CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that alendronate treatment produced significantly greater increases in the femoral neck BMD and greater decreases in bone turnover than intranasal sCT in RA patients receiving low dose glucocorticoids.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15688191&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax



alendronate, Fosamax
Drug therapy increases bone density in osteonecrosis of the femoral head in canines.

Bowers JR, Dailiana ZH, McCarthy EF, Urbaniak JR.

Department of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA.

Although many different pathogenetic mechanisms have been proposed for osteonecrosis of the femoral head, the repair process leads to structural collapse when bone resorption exceeds production. The purpose of the current study was to determine the effects of two agents with known bone-altering qualities, alendronate and simvastatin, on the healing response of a cryosurgically induced necrotic lesion of the femoral head in canines. Eighteen beagles had cryosurgical necrosis of the right femoral head. After 2 weeks, in a blinded, placebo-controlled, randomized fashion, a 10-mg dose of oral alendronate (n = 6), a 40 mg dose of simvastatin (n = 6), or a placebo (n = 6) was administered daily for 12 weeks. At sacrifice, bone densitometry and histomorphometry quantified bone in the femoral head. In the alendronate-treated animals, a 16% increase in bone mineral density of the femoral head with induced osteonecrosis was found compared with the placebo group. Increases in bone volume and trabecular thickness also were detected in the alendronate and simvastatin groups, with alendronate having the greatest effect. Clinically, increasing the amount of bone in the femoral head may forestall mechanisms leading to joint collapse characteristic of advanced osteonecrosis of the femoral head.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15691182&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax



alendronate, Fosamax
Effects of once-weekly oral alendronate on bone in children on glucocorticoid treatment.

Rudge S, Hailwood S, Horne A, Lucas J, Wu F, Cundy T.

Paediatric Rheumatology, Starship Hospital, Auckland, New Zealand.

Objectives. To determine the effects of once-weekly oral alendronate on indices of bone size, density and resorption in children with chronic illness being treated with glucocorticoids. Methods. Twenty-two children with chronic illness treated with prednisone were randomized to receive 1 year's treatment with either once-weekly oral placebo or alendronate (1-2 mg/kg body weight) in a double-blind study. The main outcome measures were changes in lumbar spine and femoral shaft size and volumetric density (measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and N-telopeptide excretion (a marker of bone resorption). Results. Once-weekly alendronate was well tolerated, and there were no major adverse events. In both groups bone size and bone mineral content increased through growth. Volumetric bone density of the lumbar spine increased significantly in the alendronate group (P = 0.013), but not in the placebo group. There were no differences between the groups in growth in the cortical width of the femoral shaft, but the cross-sectional moment of inertia per unit length--a derived estimate of mechanical strength--increased significantly in the alendronate group (P = 0.014) but not in the placebo group. Urine N-telopeptide excretion was suppressed significantly in the alendronate group (P = 0.007) but not in the placebo group. Height velocity was positively correlated with changes in both lumbar spine area and the total width of the femoral shaft (P = 0.015, P = 0.026, respectively). Conclusion. Once-weekly oral alendronate is well tolerated, suppresses bone resorption and may improve volumetric bone density at the lumbar spine and mechanical strength of the femoral shaft in children with chronic illness taking glucocorticoids. It does not affect bone growth. Larger controlled studies are needed to determine if these changes translate into reduced fracture incidence or greater peak bone mass. This study highlights the importance of differentiating between changes in bone size and changes in volumetric bone density in assessing bone in children, and also having control subjects in intervention studies.

Online source: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=15695300&dopt=Abstract alendronate Fosamax