Mona O. Abdelhalim, Hesham M. Mahmoud, Mira F Y Yacoub, Abeer S. Mohammad

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease characterized by low bone mass and micro-architectural deterioration of bone tissue, with a consequent increase in susceptibility to fractures. The most common type occurs in postmenopausal women as a result of estrogen deficiency. Autonomic imbalance is supposed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of osteoporosis. This experimental study was designed to investigate the possible curative effects of cholinergic stimulation by Neostigmine on osteoporotic model in adult female albino rats. Forty mature female Wistar rats, weighing (200-250 gm) were used, divided to 5 groups. Group 1 (control group), group 2 (ovariectomized untreated), group 3 (treated with Alendronate 3 mg/kg), group 4 (treated with Neostigmine 12.5 mg/kg), and group 5 (Alendronate+Neostigmine at the same previous doses). Treatment was started after 4 weeks of induction of osteoporosis and lasted for 8 weeks. At the end of treatment, serum Bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BSALP) was measured; histopathological examination of femur, cortical bone thickness measurement & scoring were done to all groups. Neostigmine treatment produced significant decrease in the BSALP level, significant increase in the cortical bone thickness and improvement of histopathological score. Adding Alendronate to Neostigmine (group 5) produced a greater improvement rather than each drug alone.