Estrogenic Effect Ethanol Extract Corn Silk (Stigma maydis) on Bone Density and Histology Femur Profiles in Ovariectomized Rats Female Sprague Dawley Strain

Abstract

Osteoporosis in menopause woman is caused by estrogen deficiency which plays an important role in bone formation. Corn silk (Stigma Maydis) contains stigmasterol, a phytosterol compound predicted to act as phytoestrogen. The aim of this research is to observe the activity of Corn Silk as the source of phytoestrogen by in vivo study in ovariectomized rats. Bone density analysis was examined by using x-ray. Meanwhile, histological profile of bone matrix was determined by HE-staining microscopic observation. Affinity of stigmasterol to ER (α,β) were evaluated by molecular docking. The results showed that treatment of EECS after ovariectomy has not been able to increase bone density compared to the control group OVX. Moreover, histological observation of bone matrix showed that EECS performed improvement effect compared to was observed in the administration of estradiol. Docking between stigmasterol and ER (α,β) gave the docking score which are almost the same as that seen in docking with estradiol. In summary, EECS produced positive effects on bone density in estrogens-deficient OVX rats by reducing bone resorption. Therefore, EECS may also prove to be helpful in preventing osteoporosis in postmenopausal women whose estrogen is insufficient.

Keywords: osteoporosis, phytoestrogen, corn silk, stigmasterol