Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Medicine - Department of Physiology

Fatty acids especially omega 3 unsaturated fatty acids has known anti-inflammatory effects. And there are different mechanisms by which dietary fatty acids may affect bone, but there protective effect against postmenopausal osteoporosis remains a controversial issue. This study was applied on 50 female albino rats that were divided into 5 equal groups: sham operated group, ovariectomy group, ovariectomy + flaxseed oil group (0.4 g per day), ovariectomy + fish oil administered group (0.4 g per day) and ovariectomy + estrogen replacement therapy group (30 æg/kg 5 days a week). The study proceeded for 12 weeks then femurs bone mineral density (BMD) were measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometer (DXA) scan and serum osteoprotogerin (OPG), bone specific alkaline phosphatase (ALP-b) and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-Ü) were measured. There was a significant increase in the BMD of the treated groups compared with the ovariectomy group (p < .01). There were a significant differences in the means of serum bone markers measures of the treated groups versus the ovariectomy group in the form of significant increase in OPG (p < .001) and a significant decrease in ALP-b (p < .001) and TNF-Ü (p < .001) of the treated groups compared with the ovariectomy group. This study showed a significant negative correlation between BMD and ALP-b (r = - 0.375, p < .001). According to this study the chronic administration of omega 3 fatty acids (flaxseed oil - fish oil) has a preventive effect against osteoporosis and suppression of bone turn over process appears to have a role in this preventive effect

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