Long-term administration of fenspiride has no negative impact on bone mineral density and bone turnover in young growing rats

Background. Fenspiride is an antagonist of H1-histamine receptors that is used to treat acute and chronic respiratory tract infections and otitis media in children and adolescents. Objectives. The aim of the study was to assess the influence of long-term administration of fenspiride on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover in young growing rats. Material and methods. The experiment was carried out on 18 young (8-week-old) male Wistar rats receiving either fenspiride 15 mg/kg intragastrically (ig) (group F) or saline solution 4 mL/kg ig (group C) for 3 months. On days 1 and 93, blood samples were collected and serum levels of calcium, phosphorus and markers of bone turnover were measured. On days 2 and 92, BMD was measured with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using small animal software. Results. We detected no influence of fenspiride on weight gain, total body BMD (0.212 +/- 0.010 g/cm(2) vs 0.204 +/- 0.024g/cm(2)), hind limb BMD (0.264 +/- 0.016 g/cm(2) vs 0.252 +/- 0.027 g/cm(2)), or bone macroscopic parameters. There were no significant differences between group F and group C in serum levels of osteocalcin (group F: 0.42 +/- 0.09 ng/mL vs group C: 0.43 +/- 0.08 ng/mL), C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (F: 0.31 +/- 0.08 ng/mL vs C: 0.29 +/- 0.08 ng/mL), osteoprotegerin (F: 5.47 +/- 0.78 pg/mL vs C: 5.35 +/- 1.65 pg/mL), receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (F: 0.65 +/- 0.85 pg/mL vs C: 0.56 +/- 0.86 pg/mL), parathormone (F: 237 +/- 182 pg/mL vs C: 289 +/- 200 pg/mL), total calcium (F:6.38 +/- 1.50 mg/dL vs C:6.83 +/- 1.71 mg/dL), or inorganic phosphorus (F: 5.19 +/- 1.76 mg/dL vs C: 5.50 +/- 1.32 mg/dL). Conclusions. Long-term administration of fenspiride has no negative impact on BMD and bone metabolism in young growing rats.