الفهرس 
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 149 |  |  |
| | | from | 149 | | |
Abstract
Osteoporosis is a musculoskeletal disease characterized by decreased bone mineral density and increased risk of fractures. It is one of the main complications of glucocorticoid application. Alendronate is an amino bisphosphonate that is used in the treatment of postmenopausal and glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. Ocimum basilicum is an annual herb used in traditional medicine that is known as Rehan in Arabic. The aim of the present study was done to assess the synergistic effect of Ocimum basilicum and Alendronate in alleviating the glucocorticoidinduced osteoporotic changes in rats. This study was conducted on 50 female albino rats weighing about 120-150gm which were equally divided into 5 groups. group I (negative control group) received saline by gavage for 8 weeks. group II (GIOP group) served as a positive control for groups 3, 4, and 5. Rats of this group received dexamethasone subcutaneously at 0.1 mg/kg b.wt./day dissolved in saline for 8 weeks. group III: received dexamethasone with the same previously mentioned dose together with 0.1mg/kg/day alendronate via gavage for 8 weeks. group IV: received dexamethasone with the same previously mentioned dose together with 400 mg/kg b.wt./day of OB leaves aqueous extract by gavage for 8 weeks. group V: received dexamethasone together with alendronate and OB with the same doses and for the same duration mentioned above. At the end of the experiment, blood samples were collected from the tail vein of all animals to determine the estradiol level, as well as to estimate oxidants and antioxidant parameters. Then, all animals were sacrificed under ether anesthesia. The left femur was dissected out and processed for DEXA scanning radiological examination. The right femur was dissected out, decalcified in EDTA solution and then processed till embedding in paraffin. Paraffin sections were stained with H&E, Mallory’s trichrome and PAS reaction and examined by light microscope. Fragments of femur metaphysis were processed and observed in a scanning electron microscope. Statistical analysis for the biochemical parameters, BMD, BMC and trabecular bone thickness in H&E stained sections was done in all groups. The results of the present study demonstrated that the co-treatment with alendronate and Ocimum basilicum has significantly improved the biochemical bone indices, bone mineral density, bone mineral contents and restored microarchitecture of femurs in rats treated with dexamethasone compared to groups treated singly with either alendronate or Ocimum basilicum.