Effects of treatment with ethanolic extract of Pterodon pubescens in osteoporotic rats submitted to femoral osteotomy

• Grant number: 16/17872-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Morphology - Histology
• Principal Investigator: Wagner José Fávaro
• Grantee: Júlia Constantino Camilli
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Natural products have been recognized as effective drugs for a variety of therapeutic indications. The medicinal plant Pterodon pubescens has been long used empirically for treatment of osteoporosis. However, the literature lacks scientific studies to support this activity. Thus, this project aims to evaluate the effects of treatment with ethanolic extract of Pterodon pubescens in osteoporotic rats submitted to femoral osteotomy. In order to achieve this, morphological aspects of the femur bone and some vital organs will be investigated, using common histological techniques with hematoxylin-eosin (HE). Moreover, aspects on pain behavior (electronic von Frey), spontaneous locomotion (Open-Field Test) and forced locomotion (Rotarod Test) will be evaluated. It is expected that the effects that has been empirically observed in humans can be mimetized in animals, so the possible beneficial effects of Pterodon pubescens for the treatment of osteoporosis can be scientifically verified. Hence, this study may add new scientific evidence on the use of this plant species and highlight it as a potential target for the development of herbal medicine with action against osteoporosis and/or for bone repair treatment in cases of osteoporosis. (AU)