• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.35 no.10
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• pp.1363-1370
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• 2006

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of Agaricus blazei $\beta-glucan$ and egg shell calcium complex on bone metabolism in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Forty Sprague-Dewley female rats, 10 weeks of age $(248{\pm}1.7g)$, were divided into 4 groups and fed on the experimental diets for 6 weeks: sham operated control treated with normal diet containing 0.5% calcium (Sham-C), OVX-control treated with normal diet containing 0.5% calcium (OVX-C), $OVX-\beta-glucan$ group treated with $\beta-glucan$ diet containing 0.5% calcium (OVX-G), and $OVX-\beta-glucan$ egg shell calcium complex treated with $OVX-\beta-glucan$ egg shell calcium complex containing 0.5% calcium (OVX-GE). Bone weight of femur was higher in the OVX-GE group than in the other OVX groups. Bone mineral density of femur was significantly different (p<0.05) among the experimental groups and showed the highest level in the OVX-GE group. Calcium absorption rate and retention were higher in the $\beta-glucan$ supplement groups than in the other groups (p<0.05). Alkaline phosphatase activities and osteocalcin levels of serum showed lower in the $\beta-glucan$ supplement groups than in the OVX-C group. Deoxypyridinoline crosslink values of urine, indicator of bone absorption, showed the lowest in the OVX-GE group. The $\beta-glucan$ supplemented groups had a lower bone resorption ratio than in the OVX-C group. We concluded that bioavailability of calcium is higher in $\beta-glucan$ supplement groups compared to those in OVX rats. From the above results, these findings suggest the possibility of using $\beta-glucan$ egg shell calcium complex as a functional food material related to bone metabolism, even though there is no significant difference between the groups of $\beta-glucan$ and $\beta-glucan-egg$ shell calcium complex supplementation.