Plum and Soy Aglycon Extracts Superior at Increasing Bone Calcium Retention in Ovariectomized Sprague Dawley Rats

Plant-derived polyphenols have been shown to influence bone turnover and bone properties in the estrogen-depleted state. We used a crossover design in ovariectomized rats (n = 16 rats for each diet) to investigate the effect of supplementation of two doses each of blueberry, plum, grape, grape seed extract, and resveratrol on bone. We tested the aglycon and glucoside forms of genistein to quantify differences in efficacy on bone calcium retention. Rats were given an intravenous dose of 45Ca to prelabel bone, and bone calcium retention was assessed by urinary excretion of 45Ca:Ca ratio during an intervention period compared with nonintervention. Genistein aglycon increased bone calcium retention significantly (p < 0.05) more than the glucoside (22% vs 13%, respectively). Plum extract (0.45% w/w total dietary polyphenols) and resveratrol (0.2% w/w total dietary polyphenols) were also effective, increasing bone calcium retention by 20% (p = 0.0153) and 14% (p = 0.0012), respectively. Several polyphenolic-rich diets improved bone calcium retention.