Short-term effects of organic silicon on trabecular bone in mature ovariectomized rats

Summary Silicon is known to ensure an essential role in the formation of cross-links between collagen and proteoglycans during bone growth. In this study, we have evaluated the short-term effects of a preventive treatment with silanol, a soluble organic silicon (Si), on trabecular bone in mature ovariectomized rats. Three-month-old rats were shamoperated (sham) or were ovariectomized (OVX) and treated with 10 g/kg/day of 170 estradiol (E2), or with 0.1 mg Si/kg/day or 1.0 mg Si/kg/day of silanol for 1 month. Plasma alkaline phosphatase and osteocalcin levels were increased by 50% in OVX rats compared with sham rats and were corrected by E2 but not by silanol treatment. The trabecular bone volume measured at the tibial metaphysis was decreased by 48%, and histomorphometric indices of bone resorption and formation were increased in OVX rats compared with sham, and these parameters were corrected by E2 treatment. Treatment of OVX rats with silanol decreased the osteoclast surface by 31% and the number of osteoclasts by 20%. The mineral apposition rate, the bone formation rate, and the osteoblast surface at the tibia metaphyseal area were increased by 30% at the higher dose of silanol compared with OVX rats. In contrast, silanol treatment had no effect on the periosteal apposition rate. The reduction of the metaphyseal bone resorption and the increased bone formation induced by silanol resulted in a slight improvement of the trabecular bone volume (+ 14%) compared with controls. The results indicate that a short-term preventive treatment with the organic silicon silanol partially prevented the trabecular bone loss in mature OVX rats by reducing bone resorption and increasing bone formation, possibly through stimulatory effects on the formation and/or the stability of the organic bone matrix.