| Summary: | This study was conducted to determine the
effectiveness of three forms of vitamin E supplements
following nicotine treatment on bone histomorphometric
parameters in an adult male rat model. Rats were divided
into seven groups: baseline (B, killed without treatment),
control (C, normal saline for 4 months), nicotine (N, nicotine
for 2 months), nicotine cessation (NC), tocotrienolenhanced
fraction (TEF), gamma-tocotrienol (GTT), and
alpha-tocopherol (ATF). Treatments for the NC, TEF,
GTT, and ATF groups were performed in two phases. For
the first 2 months they were given nicotine (7 mg/kg), and
for the following 2 months nicotine administration was
stopped and treatments with respective vitamin E preparations
(60 mg/kg) were commenced except for the NC
group, which was allowed to recover without treatment.
Rats in the N and NC groups had lower trabecular bone
volume, mineral appositional rate (MAR), and bone formation
rate (BFR/BS) and higher single labeled surface
and osteoclast surface compared to the C group. Vitamin E
treatment reversed these nicotine effects. Both the TEF and
GTT groups, but not the ATF group, had a significantly
higher trabecular thickness but lower eroded surface
(ES/BS) than the C group. The tocotrienol-treated groups
had lower ES/BS than the ATF group. The GTT group
showed a significantly higher MAR and BFR/BS than the
TEF and ATF groups. In conclusion, nicotine induced
significant bone loss, while vitamin E supplements not only
reversed the effects but also stimulated bone formation
significantly above baseline values. Tocotrienol was shown
to be slightly superior compared to tocopherol. Thus,
vitamin E, especially GTT, may have therapeutic potential
to repair bone damage caused by chronic smoking.
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