Quantitation of growth factors in ossein-mineral-compound

Efficacy and safety of ossein-hydroxyapatite complex versus calcium carbonate to prevent bone loss

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of ossein-hydroxyapatite complex (OHC) versus calcium carbonate (CC) for preventing bone loss during perimenopause in current clinical practice.Methods: The prospective, comparative, non-randomized, open-label study included 851 perimenopausal women with basal bone mineral density (BMD) T-score ≥-2 standard deviations (SDs). Participants received either OHC (712 mg calcium/day) or CC (1000 mg calcium/day) over 3 years. BMD was evaluated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the lumbar spine (L2-L4) at baseline and after 18 and 36 months of follow-up. Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were also recorded.Results: In women receiving OHC, BMD at the L2-L4 site remained stable over the 3-year follow-up period (mean [SD] change 0.00 [0.11] g/cm²). BMD in the CC arm decreased -3.1% (mean [SD] - 0.03 [0.11] g/cm²). Between-group differences were statistically significant (p < 0.001) and favored OHC. ADRs were more frequent in the CC group (7.7% vs. 2.7% in the OHC group; p = 0.001), affecting primarily the gastrointestinal system.Conclusion: OHC showed greater efficacy and tolerability than CC for bone loss prevention in perimenopausal women in real-world practice. As the daily dose of calcium was higher in the CC group, the differences might be linked to the ossein compound in OHC.

Bovine bone particulates containing bone anabolic factors as a potential xenogenic bone graft substitute

Background

Alternative grafts are needed to improve the healing of bone non-union. Here, we assessed a bovine bone product which retains the inorganic and organic components of bone, as an alternative bone graft.

Methods

Bovine bone matrix proteins (BBMPs) were isolated from bovine bone particulates (BBPs) and tested in vitro. Primary rat osteoblast viability, differentiation, and mineralisation were assessed with alamarBlue®, real-time PCR, and von Kossa staining assays, respectively. Osteoclast formation was assessed in primary murine bone marrow cultures with TRAP staining.

Human osteoblast growth and differentiation in the presence of BBPs was evaluated in 3D collagen gels in vitro using alamarBlue® and real-time PCR, respectively. The efficacy of BBPs as an alternative bone graft was tested in a rat critical-size calvarial defect model, with histology scored at 4 and 12 weeks post-surgery.

Results

In vitro, the highest concentration of BBMPs increased mineral deposition five-fold compared to the untreated control group (P < 0.05); enhanced the expression of key osteoblast genes encoding for RUNX2, alkaline phosphatase, and osteocalcin (P < 0.05); and decreased osteoclast formation three-fold, compared to the untreated control group (P < 0.05).

However, the BBPs had no effect on primary human osteoblasts in vitro, and in vivo, no difference was found in healing between the BBP-treated group and the untreated control group.

Conclusions

Overall, despite the positive effects of the BBMPs on the cells of the bone, the bovine bone product as a whole did not enhance bone healing. Finding a way to harness the positive effect of these BBMPs would provide a clear benefit for healing bone non-union.

Comparison of the treatment effects of ossein-hydroxyapatite compound and calcium carbonate in osteoporotic females

The aim of the study was to evaluate whether ossein-hydroxyapatite (OHC) is more effective than calcium carbonate (CC) in preventing further bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis. Forty osteoporotic patients were monitored for 20 months. The patients were randomly assigned to one of two groups and treated in a double-masked manner with 1400 mg calcium per day, in the form of either OHC or CC. OHC consists of hydroxyapatite, collagens and non-collagenous proteins/peptides containing insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I; 1341 ng), insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II; 670 ng), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta; 166 ng) and osteocalcin (47 micrograms). The bone densities were evaluated at intervals of 4 months with high-precision peripheral quantitative computed tomography. After 20 months of treatment the loss of trabecular bone was 0.8 +/- 0.5% in the OHC group and 1.8 +/- 0.7% in the CC group. The difference between the OHC and CC groups was statistically significant. This study shows that OHC is more effective than CC in slowing peripheral trabecular bone loss in patients with manifest osteoporosis.