The Potential Role of Wedololactone in Treating Particle-induced Osteolysis _A Mouse Calvarial Model

Abstract

Background: Osteolysis is one of the most prevalent clinical complications of total joint replacement (TJR). Wedelolactone (WDL) is a coumestan compound derived from the Wedelia chinensis plant and has been demonstrated to exhibit anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate the use of WDL as a potential treatment for reducing the risk of particle-induced osteolysis using a well-established particle-induced mice calvarial disease model. Methods: Thirty-two C57BL/6J mice were randomized into four groups: sham, polystyrene particles (PS), PS particles with WDL treatment for 4 weeks (WDL 4w) and PS particles with WDL treatment for 8 weeks (WDL 8w). Micro-CT was used to quantitatively analyze the bone mass. Osteoclast numbers were also measured from histological analysis. Results: The results showed that bone mineral density was significantly higher in the WDL 8w group than in the PS group (p < 0.05), and both the WDL 4 and WDL 8w groups had lower osteoclast numbers (p < 0.05). No significant difference in osteoclast number was found between the WDL 4w and WDL 8w groups. Conclusions: These results support the use of WDL as a herbal medicine for reducing the severity of particle-induced osteolysis after TJR.