DP Prevents Bone Loss in an Osteopenic Rat Model of Osteoporosis

JOURNAL: Menopause (2005)12:755-762.

AUTHORS: Deyhim F, Stoecker BJ, Brusewitz GH, Devareddy L, and Arjmandi BH.

This study evaluated whether dried plum was able to restore bone mass in osteopenic ovariectomized rats.  Dried plum at 5% of the diet was effective in restoring femoral and tibial bone density and increased lumbar bone density.  The increase in femoral bone density in rats fed dried plum diets resulted in improved bone quality as indicated by 6.9% and 6.0% improvement in overall yield and ultimate force respectively.  The improvement in biomechanical properties of long bones due to dried plum, in part, may be due to the favorable microstructural changes as evident by enhanced tibial bone volume and connectivity.