Evaluating the Potential of Calcium to Reduce the Effects of Long-Term Fluoxetine Treatment on Bone Mineral Density and Alveolar Bone Structure in a Rat Model

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 MSC Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

2 Lecturer of Oral Biology, Faculty of Dentistry, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt

3 professor of oral biology, Faculty of dentistry, Cairo university

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluate the effect of fluoxetine on bone mineral density besides alveolar bone process in rats. Moreover, to evaluate whether calcium supplementation would inhibit the possible decrease of bone mineral density.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen adult male albino rats, ages three to four months, were employed. Three different groups of rats were established randomly. Rats of group II administrated oral dosage of 10 mg/kg fluoxetine daily over 42 days. Rats of group III were also given a daily dose of 10 mg/kg fluoxetine besides 300 mg/kg of calcium orally for 42 days, while group I received an equivalent dose of saline for 42 days. Histological, histomorphometric, X-ray computed tomography (CT), and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis (qRT-PCR) were utilized for monitoring the results.

Results: Histological analysis of group I demonstrated the alveolar bone's typical architecture. In group II, the alveolar bone architecture was critically altered by exposure to fluoxetine, while relevant restoration of the alveolar bone's normal architecture was evident in group III. The histomorphometric analysis indicated rise in the percentage of bone area in group III when compared to group II. However, group I had the highest. Group I had the highest bone mineral density value on the CT scan, while Group II had the lowest, and the difference between the groups was statistically significant. Pair-wise comparison reported a statistically substantial improvement in the bone mineral density value of group III over group II. qRT-PCR revealed that the highest alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and acid phosphatase gene (ACP) expression was monitored in group II, with a statistically substantial variation among the groups. Meanwhile, a significant increase in alkaline phosphatase and acid phosphatase gene expression was demonstrated in group II compared to group III.

Conclusion:Fluoxetine altered the normal architecture of the alveolar bone process. Meanwhile, calcium exhibited an anti-osteoporotic effect.

Keywords

Egyptian Journal of Histology

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 10 October 2025

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