Experimental model of osteoporosis: comparison between ovariectomy and botulinum toxin a

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether Botulinum toxin-A (BTX-A) has a similar effect to that of ovariectomy (OVX) on bone regarding bone mineral densitometry. METHODS: A total of 51 female rats were randomly divided into three groups of 17 animals each. The rats in the first group formed the control group, without any surgical procedure (Group 1). Group 2 received BTX-A while Group 3 was subjected to OVX. A total of 8 IU of BTX-A was injected into the right femoral region of all rats in Group 2. At baseline and 14 weeks later, bone mineral densities (BMD) of the left and right femurs of all rats in both groups were measured. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between the groups with respect to baseline BMD. At the 14(th) week the BMD of the right femurs were statistically significantly higher in Group 1 than other groups, although there was no statistically significant difference between Groups 2 and 3. The mean BMD results of the left femur in Group 3 were statistically significantly lower than the results in Groups 1 and 2 at the 14(th) week. CONCLUSION: The results of the current study showed that BTX-A had a similar effect to that of OVX on osteoporosis regarding BMD. Evidence Level I, Experimental, Controlled, Animal Study.