Incorporation of sodium fluoride into cortical bone does not impair the mechanical properties of the appendicular skeleton in rats

Thomas A. Einhorn, G. K. Wakley, S. Linkhart, E. B. Rush, S. Maloney, E. Faierman, D. J. Baylink

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

51 Scopus citations

Abstract

Clinical studies on the use of sodium fluoride (NaF) in osteoporotic patients have demonstrated increased spinal bone mass without a reduction in vertebral fracture incidence, and a trend towards reduced appendicular bone mass with an increase in peripheral fracture incidence. As previous reports have suggested that NaF becomes incorporated into bone's crystal structure, possibly affecting bone strength, we sought to examine the relationship among bone fluoride content, bone mass, and skeletal fragility. Twenty-one-day-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with four different doses of NaF. The tibiae were subjected to histomorphometric and biochemical analyses, and the femora were tested in torsion for the properties of strength, stiffness, energy storage capacity, and angular deformation. The results showed that over 50% of the skeleton in these rats was turned over in the presence of NaF. The four different doses resulted in a linear increase in bone F concentration and suggested excellent absorption and incorporation of this drug. No changes in histomorphometric indices of bone formation or turnover were found. Despite the large fraction of bone formed during NaF treatment, and the linear increase in bone fluoride content in relation to dose, there were no changes observed in any of the mechanical properties. These results suggest that, even extensive incorporation of fluoride into bone, in the absence of an effect on bone mass or remodeling, does not significantly alter its capacity to withstand mechanical loads.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)127-131
Number of pages5
JournalCalcified Tissue International
Volume51
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1992

Keywords

  • Bone mass
  • Cortical bone
  • Histomorphometry
  • Mechanical properties
  • Sodium fluoride

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