Effect of diosgenin

Diosgenin is a steroidal sapogenin found in fenugreek and Dioscorea spp. as glycosides (saponins). Diosgenin has already already been reported to inhibit osteoclastogenesis and also to stimulate osteogenic action of osteoblastic cells inside vitro, and also to exert several antiosteoporotic effects in rodents in vivo. The purpose of this current study was to investigate the consequence of diosgenin administration on the bone system of rats with normal estrogen level and with estrogen deficiency induced by bilateral ovariectomy. Typically the experiments were carried out there on 3-month-old non-ovariectomized plus ovariectomized Wistar rats, split into control rats in addition to rats receiving diosgenin (50 mg/kg p. o. daily) for 4 weeks. Serum bone turnover markers, bone fragments mass and mineralization, histomorphometric parameters and mechanical attributes were studied. Diosgenin increased some investigated parameters inside both non-ovariectomized and ovariectomized rats, through which estrogen deficit induced osteoporotic changes. Diosgenin increased compact bone formation and probably inhibited cancellous bone resorption, which brought to improvement of physical properties of compact plus cancellous bone. In conclusion, this in vivo study shown that diosgenin may end up being one of sparse compounds increasing bone formation.