| Objective To investigate the effect of ferulic acid on bone mass and bone structure of Alzheimer's disease model mice. Methods Five 6-month-old C57BL/6J male mice were used as the wild type (WT) group, and twenty 6-month-old male APP/PS1 transgenic mice were randomly divided into model control (MC) group, normal saline (NS) group, low-dose ferulic acid (FA-L, 30 mg/kg) group, and high-dose ferulic acid (FA-H, 60 mg/kg) group, with 5 mice in each group. The experiment lasted for 6 months. Nesting test and open field maze test were performed to evaluate the cognitive ability and emotional changes of the mice before the animals were sacrificed. After the Nesting test and open field maze test, mice were euthanized. Serum was collected to detect ALP and TRACP-5b levels with ELISA. Samples of the tibia were decalcified and fixed, paraffin-embedded, sectioned, and stained with HE for bone histomorphometry. Results Compared to those in WT group, nesting score in the MC group decreased significantly (P<0.01). Total distance, central area distance, central area time, and average speed decreased remarkably (P<0.05). There was no significant change in serum ALP level, but TRACP-5b increased remarkably (P<0.05). Percentage of trabecular bone area, trabecular bone width, and trabecular bone number decreased significantly (P<0.05). Separation of trabecular bone increased remarkably (P<0.05). Percentage of cortical bone area and cortical bone thickness decreased significantly (P<0.01). Percentage of marrow cavity area increased remarkably (P<0.01). Compared with MC group, there were no significant changes in all parameters in NS group. Compared to those in NS group, Nesting score (P<0.05), total distance, distance in central area, and time and the average speed in central area (P<0.01) significant increased in FA-L and FA-H groups. Serum ALP did not change significantly, but TRACP-5b remarkably decreased (P<0.01). Percentage of trabecular bone area, trabecular bone width, and trabecular bone number increased significantly (P<0.05). Separation of trabecular bone decreased remarkably (P<0.05). Percentage of cortical bone area and cortical bone thickness increased significantly (P<0.05). Percentage of marrow cavity area decreased remarkably (P<0.01). Conclusion Ferulic acid prevents bone loss and improves bone structure in the tibia of AD model mice. |