Abstract
Introduction
Recently, oxidative stress has been implicated in the development of osteonecrosis. Here we focused on vitamins with marked antioxidant potency to see whether their use might prevent the development of osteonecrosis associated with corticosteroid administration.
Methods
Fifteen male Japanese white rabbits weighing about 3.5 kg were injected once into the right gluteal muscle with methylprednisolone (MPSL) 40 mg/kg (S Group). Ten other rabbits, in addition, received consecutive daily intravenous injections of vitamin E 50 mg/kg starting from the day of MPSL administration (E Group), and 10 other animals similarly received consecutive daily intravenous injections of vitamin C 30 mg/kg (C Group). All animals were euthanized 2 weeks after MPSL administration, and femurs were extracted, and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Blood levels of glutathione (GSH) were also measured.
Results
In S Group, the osteonecrosis development rate was 93%, in contrast to 60% in C Group, and none in E Group (P<0.05). Also, GSH levels in both S and C Groups abruptly decreased from the 1st day after MPSL administration, whereas, in E Group, the decline in GSH levels was significantly suppressed on days 1 and 3 after MPSL administration (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Vitamin E significantly inhibited the decrease in blood GSH levels noted in the groups not receiving it. Since GSH reflects oxidative stress in vivo, vitamin E administration may be preventative in the setting of this kind of corticosteroid-induced osteonecrosis rabbit model.
