Study of strontium ranelate bone issues by X-ray microtomography

Abstract: The X-ray microtomography is a non-destructive image technique that allows evaluation of inner structure of several kinds of materials, such as trabecular bone. The microarchitecture of osteoporosis bone becomes more fragile and susceptible to fractures. Strontium ranelate (Protos®) is a current oral medication used in the treatment of osteoporosis diseases, which promises to act stimulating the proliferation of osteoblasts, as well as inhibiting the proliferation of osteoclasts. In the present work, two ways to administer strontium ranelate are studied in experiments with rats and mice: via oral and via intra-peritoneal injections. Intra-peritoneal injections are easier and not susceptible to gastrointestinal tract issues such as diarrhoea and absorption variations. However, the only method to administrate the strontium ranelate described in literature is still the gavage. In order to establish the best technique for future experiments, structural bone changes in rats were evaluated. The results show that bone porosity parameter at the femoral head decreased after 23 days of treatment when both oral and intraperitoneal routes of strontium ranelate administration were applied, suggesting an improved bone microarchitecture. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]