Ex vivo study on the combination of Sophora japonica fruit extract and a highly soluble form of curcumin on the skeletal system of rats with estrogen deficiency

The present study aimed to investigate the effects of Fructus Sophorae extract (FSE) combined with a highly soluble form of curcumin on the skeletal system of rats with estrogen deficiency induced by subcutaneous implantation of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH, LH-RH) analogue, goserelin (GR). FSE and curcumin demonstrated significant bone-protective effects in GR-induced estrogen-deficient rats by maintaining calcium and phosphorus homeostasis that augmented markers of bone formation and bone mineral density. The administration of estradiol as a positive control and the combination of FSE and curcumin increased osteocalcin levels by 43% and 23%, respectively, above those in castrated animals and brought them closer to control levels. In the GR-treated group, β-CTx increased by 27%; in the group treated with estradiol, by 17%; and in the groups treated with FSE and the combination of FSE and curcumin, respectively, by about 15%. These findings provide information about the bone-protective effects of FSE and curcumin against GR-induced bone loss.