Background: Obesity is a worldwide medical problem in which excess body fat is accumulated in the body. The use of weight loss supplements such as green coffee bean extract and Agiolax has become a common trend among people who want to lose weight in a fast and non-tiring way. As a result of their effect on fluid excretion, both of these products may be expected to have a damaging effect on the alveolar bone.
Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the histopathalogical effect of green coffee bean extract as compared to Agiolax on the alveolar bone of albino rats.
Material and methods: Twenty-seven adult male albino rats were randomly assigned to 3 groups. Nine received distilled water daily for 2 months by oral gavage (the control group); the other 2 groups received 1 mg/100 g body weight green coffee bean extract or Agiolax 8 mg/100 g body weight daily for 2 months by oral gavage (the GC and Ag groups, respectively). The alveolar bones were dissected and examined histologically, histomorphometrically and by western blotting.
Results: The bone area percentage and the calcium level in serum were significantly decreased in the GC and Ag groups, while the calcium level in urine was significantly increased in both the experimental groups as compared to the control group. On the other hand, RANKL expression was significantly increased only in the GC group, and the tissue calcium (Ca) level was significantly decreased only in the GC group as compared to the control group.
Conclusions: Long-term oral administration of green coffee bean extract and Agiolax might lead to alveolar bone loss. A greater deleterious effect was caused by green coffee bean extract, as it caused more RANKL expression, significantly reduced Ca level in the tissue and consequently decreased the bone area percentage.
Keywords: Agiolax; RANKL; alveolar bone; green coffee bean extract; obesity.