Comparison of the Effects of Deer Antler, Old Antler, and Antler Glue on Osteoporosis in Ovariectomized Rats

Background Examination of the effects of deer antler, old antler, and antler glue on postmenopausal osteoporosis in an ovariectomized Sprague-Dawley rat model. Methods The study involved 7 experimental groups; SHAM (sham-operated rats), OVX (ovariectomized rats), E2 (ovariectomized rats with estradiol 10 μg/kg daily, orally), DA (ovariectomized rats with deer antler extract 5.83 mg/kg), OA (ovariectomized rats with old antler extract 3.8 mg/kg), low-AG (ovariectomized rats with low dose of antler glue powder 12.5 mg/kg), high-AG (ovariectomized rats with high dose of antler glue powder 37.5 mg/kg). After 6 weeks of treatment, body weight, blood calcium, phosphorus, estradiol, liver [alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT)] and kidney [blood urea nitrogen (BUN)/creatinine ratio] function, and femoral bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Results The body weights of DA, OA, low-AG, and high-AG groups did not significantly differ from OVX group. Blood estradiol levels were significantly increased in the DA, low-AG, and high-AG groups compared to the OVX group. Blood calcium, phosphorus, ALP, AST, and ALT levels and BUN/creatinine ratio did not show significant changes in the DA, OA, low-AG, and high-AG groups. BMDs of the femur, and femoral head and neck were significantly increased in the low-AG group. In the OA group, the BMD of the femoral head and neck was significantly increased. Conclusions Treatment with deer antler, or antler glue for 6 weeks was effective for increasing estradiol and femoral BMD in ovariectomized rats, suggesting that this may be of therapeutic benefit for osteoporosis.