Evaluation of erythrocyte deformability in experimentally induced osteoporosis in female rats and the effects of vitamin C supplementation on erythrocyte deformability.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the possible variations in antioxidant enzymes, lipid peroxidation and erythrocyte deformability in experimentally induced osteoporosis in female rats and to assess the effects of vitamin C supplementation on those variations.

MATERIAL

A total of 20 female Wistar Albino Rats were randomized into the three groups as controls (Group C, n = 6), ovariectomized rats (Group O, n = 7) and ovariectomized rats receiving vitamin C supplementation (Group OVC, n = 7). After the surgical procedure of ovariectomy, group OVC received 1 g ascorbic acid in 500 mL water daily. After 100 days following the ovariectomy, bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.

RESULTS

BMD was significantly lower in the group O than in the group C (p = 0.015), whereas it was significantly higher in the group OVC than in the group O (p = 0.003). MDA activity was significantly higher in the group O than in the group C (p = 0.032), whereas it was significantly lower in the group OVC than in the group O (p = 0.025). SOD activity was significantly higher in the group O than in the group C (p = 0.032). Erythrocyte deformability was significantly higher in the group O than in the group C and OVC (p = 0.008, p = 0.021, respectively).

CONCLUSION

Erythrocyte deformability may show negative variations, suggesting a causative role in disruption of blood flow and tissue perfusion, which also negatively affect bone metabolism. Vitamin C supplementation seems to reverse those negative effects of variations in erythrocyte deformability. However, our preliminary results should be confirmed in more experimental studies and clinical trials (Tab. 3, Ref. 28).