Modulatory effect of cod liver oil on bone mineralization in overiectomized female Sprague Dawley rats

Abstract

Osteoporosis represents a major public health problem through its association with fragility fractures, primarily of the hip, spine and distal forearm. The risk of osteoporosis increased in postmenopausal women due to decline in estrogen levels. Replicable hormone therapy is associated with undesirable side effects. Cod liver oil (CLO) is a rich source of docosahexaenoic acid eicosapentaenoic acid linolenic acid and vitamins A, E and D. In this study, the effect of CLO will be tested in the prevention of bone loss in the ovariectomized (OVX) female rats. One group of OVX rats (n = 12) received an estrogen implantation at the time of operation and the second group was supplemented orally with CLO (200 μl/kg body weight) daily for 8 weeks. At the end of the experiment, blood was analysed for serum calcium, phosphorous, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, osteocalcin and estrogen and femur for calcium determination. Estrogen implantation as well as CLO supplementation in OVX rats increased the calcium level in femur as compared with sham rats (p < 0.05). It is concluded that supplementation of CLO have a positive effect on bone mineralization in rat, and this could offer a new strategy to avoid the side effects of replaceable hormonal therapy. © The Author(s) 2011.