Effects of chronic treatment with diosgenin on bone loss in a D-galactose-induced aging rat model.

D-galactose is known to cause oxidative stress and induce aging-related diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that diosgenin can prevent osteoporosis in menopausal rats. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of oral administration of diosgenin on bone loss in a D-galactose-induced aging rat model. Three groups of twelve-week-old male Wistar rats received a daily injection of D-galactose (150 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and orally administered diosgenin (0, 10, or 50 mg/kg/day) for eight weeks, while a control group received saline injection (1 ml/kg/day, i.p.), then the femurs were taken to measure mechanical and morphological properties. The results showed that frame volume and femur volume decreased and porosity and frame density increased in the D-galactose-induced aging rats compared to controls and that these effects were prevented by co-administration of diosgenin. This suggests that diosgenin might prevent bone loss during aging and provide beneficial effects in osteoporosis in the elderly.