PROTECTIVE EFFECT OF ZINC;

Background: Nutrition is an important determinant of bone health. Micronutrients,other than calcium has been paid less attention to-date in the prevention and treatment of bonediseases. Objective: To evaluate the protective effect of zinc on high salt induced gross changesin humerus and femur of rats. Study design: Analytical control randomized trial. Place andduration of study: Islamic International Medical College, Rawalpindi, hosted the research withthe cooperation of National Institute of Health; Islamabad. The study was approved by Ethicalreview committee of Riphah international university before its initiation. It took six months tocomplete the research (Sep 2015-March 2016). Material and methods: Forty five adult femaleSprague Dawley, 10-12 weeks old rats were used in the study. Three groups were made, eachhaving fifteen rats. Control group C (N=15) received laboratory diet without any alteration.Experimental group A (N=15) were served with high salt diet (8%NaCl) whereas experimentalgroup B (N=15) animals were given high salt diet augmented with zinc (50mg/kg/day).Allgroups were given the diet for eight weeks. Animals were weighed at the start and end ofstudy after which they were sacrificed. Left humeri and femora of all rats were obtained. Weightand mid shaft diameters of bones were recorded. The results were compiled after comparisonamongst all the groups. Results: Marked gross changes were witnessed in experimentalgroups. These changes were of greater severity in high salt diet group as compared to the zincsupplemented group in which reverse beneficial effects were noticed. After zinc administration,there was substantial increase in the weight of animals and bones with concurrent increase inmid shaft diameters. Conclusion: Zinc has a Protective role against high salt induced damageon the gross parameters of bones.