Astaxanthin increase osteocytes, osteoblasts, decrease adipocytes cells, and reduces osteonecrotic events in femoral head of Wistar rats exposed to alcohol

Background: Osteonecrosis is the death of bone cells that can be associated with alcohol abuse. Alcohol abuse has been projected to increase by 0.6% every year. The high morbidity and cost of therapy of osteonecrosis necessitate the effort to prevent osteonecrosis before it manifested. Astaxanthin is an antioxidant that is expected to increase the number of osteocyte and osteoblast cells, decrease the number of adipocyte cells, and reduce the incidence of osteonecrosis. Methods: This is an experimental randomized post-test control only group design. A total of 24 Wistar rats who met the inclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the control group with the administration of alcohol and the treatment group with the administration of alcohol and astaxanthin. The number of osteocytes, osteoblasts, adipocytes, and osteonecrosis occurrence was examined in the first, second, and third week. Results: Statistical analysis showed a lower average number of osteoblast cells in the control group (38+1.43) than in the treatment group (55.63±2.17) with astaxanthin administration. The same results can also be seen in the number of osteocyte cells in the control group (16.69±0.94) as compared with the treatment group (28.06±1.26). Meanwhile, the average number of adipocyte cells in the control group showed a higher yield (58.69±1.18) when compared with the treatment group (27.50±1,24). The occurrence of osteonecrosis, as depicted by the presence of empty lacunae and necrotic osteocyte cells, showed the highest increase in osteonecrosis occurrence at week 3 (34.56±0.31) of the control group. While in the treatment group, the decrease in the incidence of osteonecrosis showed the lowest number in week 3 (4.75±0.79). The statistical analysis test using one-way ANOVA showed that the mean difference between treatment and control groups was statistically significant (p <0.05). Conclusions: The above calculation showed that administration of astaxanthin could decrease the incidence of osteonecrosis in the femoral head of rats exposed to alcohol. Keywords: Osteonecrosis, caput femoris of rat, astaxanthin, osteoblast, osteocyte, adipocyte, alcohol