effect of d-003, a mixture of high molecular weight aliphatic acids, on glucocorticoid- and lipopolysaccharides (lps)-induced osteonecrosis

osteonecrosis (on) is characterized through the impairment of osseous blood flow that leads to the collapse of femur head. corticoid-induced on in rats and lipopolysaccharide (lps)-induced in rabbits are useful models to assess the efficacy of potential treatments on this disease. d-003 inhibits the mevalonate pathway, lipid peroxidation and prevents osteoporosis in rats through increasing the osteoclast apoptosis. this study investigated the effects of d-003 on corticoid- and lps-induced on in rats and rabbits. corticoid-induced on :rats were randomized into five groups. a negative control and four groups treated with prednisolone 6 mg/kg: a positive control and three treated with d-003 (5, 25 and 200 mg/kg) for 80 days. all positive controls presented on areas. d-003 significantly reduced the numbers and proportions of on lesions, as compared to the positive control group. lps-induced on in rabbits :rabbits were randomized into five groups: a negative control and four injected with a single intra-venous injection of lps (10 µg/kg) including a positive control and three with d-003 (5, 25 and 200 mg/kg) for 30 days. on was seen in all positive controls. the incidence of on and the number of on lesions in the groups treated with d-003 (25 and 200 mg/kg) was significantly lower compared to the positive controls. lps injection significantly increased the size of bone marrow fat cells in positive controls and such increase was significantly decreased by d-003. in conclusion, d-003 reduced on lesions in corticoid- and lps-induced on and also the size of bone marrow fat cells in rabbits with lps.