Effects of strontium ranelate on cortical bone collagen integrity

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of strontium ranelate on bone collagen cross-linking in an ovariectomized rat model. METHODS: Twenty-eight adult (12 weeks) albino female Wistar rats weighing between 200-250 g (n=7 per group) were divided into sham-operated, ovariectomized, prevention, and treatment groups. Animals in the prevention group were treated with strontium ranelate (500 mg/kg/day orally) for 120 days, starting immediately after ovariectomy. Animals in the treatment group were treated with strontium ranelate (500 mg/kg/day orally) for 120 days, starting 90 days after ovariectomy. At the end of the experimental period, stress, strain, and toughness of the cortical femur was measured, and collagen ultrastructure was evaluated. The study was conducted in Mersin University Biophysics Laboratory, Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey from January to May 2008. RESULTS: Stress, strain, and toughness values decreased in ovariectomized, prevention, and treatment groups when compared with the sham-operated group. In this study, fiber organization was observed in the sham-operated group, whereas the parallel packing of fibrils was completely replaced by a random arrangement in the ovariectomized, prevention, and treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Strontium ranelate treatment did not repair collagen cross-linking in ovariectomized rats.