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Effect of Nopal (Opuntia ficus indica) Consumption at Different Maturity Stages as an Only Calcium Source on Bone Mineral Metabolism in Growing Rats

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Abstract

This work determines the effect nopal consumption at different maturity stages (60, 200, 400, and 600 g) as the only calcium source in bone metabolism. The apparent mineral absorption, the biomarkers of bone metabolism, the bone mineral density at different femoral regions, and crystal properties of the bone were evaluated during the growth stage. The Ca absorption was increased with the rat age in most of the experimental groups, while Mg supplementation decreased intestinal absorption probably due to a saturation process. Intestinal Ca and Mg absorption showed an opposite trend; this result suggests that both ions can compete for vitamin D absorption sites. The percentage of absorption of K was lower in the groups fed with Nopal; nevertheless, due to supplementation, the net absorption was higher than the control group. In all groups, osteocalcin levels decreased with the rat age. Nopal consumption increased osteocalcin levels during the adolescence stage in comparison to the control group. Amino N-terminal propeptide of type I procollagen levels increased in puberty and adolescence in all groups compared to the control group. Bone mineral density in different femoral regions was lower in the groups fed with nopal at early maturity stages (N-60 and N-200) than the groups fed with nopal at late maturity stages (N-400 and N-600). The crystal size of hydroxyapatite exhibited changes for all the groups, indicating the inclusion of mono and divalent ions in calcium replacement. On this basis, the nopal at late maturity stage contributed to bone formation.

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Acknowledgments

We want to thank M. en I. Alicia del Real-López and Dra. Beatriz Millan Malo for their technical support.

Funding

This work was supported by CONACYT (Ciencia Basica, convocation 2011-02, Project No. 167769). Ezequiel Hernandez Becerra was financially supported by CONACyT Mexico for his postdoctoral position at CFATA-UNAM. This project was financed by PAPIIT-Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, project number IN112317.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de Materiales, Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, A.P. 1-1010, C.P. 76230, Querétaro, Qro., Mexico

    Ezequiel Hernandez-Becerra

  2. Licenciatura en Tecnología, Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla A.P. 1-1010, C.P. 76230, Querétaro, Qro., Mexico

    Ezequiel Hernandez-Becerra

  3. Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N, 76010, Querétaro, Qro., Mexico

    Monserrat Mendoza-Avila & Isela Rojas-Molina

  4. Departamento de Ingeniería Física, División de Ciencias e Ingenierías, Universidad de Guanajuato, C.P. 37150, Guanajuato, Mexico

    Daniel Jiménez-Mendoza

  5. Facultad dde Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Laboratorio de Transformación y Tecnologías Emergentes en Alimentos, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Km 2.5 Carretera Cuautitlán–Teoloyucan, San Sebastián Xhala, C.P. 54714, Cuautitlán Izcalli, Edo de México, Mexico

    Elsa Gutierrez-Cortez

  6. Departamento de Nanotecnología, Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, A.P. 1-1010, C.P. 76230, Querétaro, Qro., Mexico

    Mario E. Rodríguez-García

  7. Laboratorio de Investigación Química y Farmacológica de Productos Naturales, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Cerro de las Campanas S/N,, C.P. 76010, Querétaro, Qro., Mexico

    Isela Rojas-Molina

Authors
  1. Ezequiel Hernandez-Becerra
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  2. Monserrat Mendoza-Avila
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  3. Daniel Jiménez-Mendoza
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  4. Elsa Gutierrez-Cortez
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  5. Mario E. Rodríguez-García
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  6. Isela Rojas-Molina
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Correspondence to Ezequiel Hernandez-Becerra.

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All procedures performed in studies involving animals were in accordance with the ethical standards of Mexican current regulation (NOM-062-ZOO-1999).

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Hernandez-Becerra, E., Mendoza-Avila, M., Jiménez-Mendoza, D. et al. Effect of Nopal (Opuntia ficus indica) Consumption at Different Maturity Stages as an Only Calcium Source on Bone Mineral Metabolism in Growing Rats. Biol Trace Elem Res 194, 168–176 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-019-01752-0

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