Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42196970›Full record

ArticleNutrients2026

Effects of Menaquinone-7 on Bone Turnover Markers, Femoral Mechanical Resistance, and Histology in Young Ovariectomized Rats.

Alexandru Jecan, Gheorghe Tomoaia, Luciana-Mădălina Gherman, Vasile Rus, Raluca Maria Pop, Cătălin Popa, Răzvan Marian Melinte, Diana Jecan-Toader, Dragoș Apostu, Luca Simionescu and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Nutrients, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Alexandru JecanDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-5268-9343
Gheorghe TomoaiaDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Luciana-Mădălina GhermanExperimental Centre, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400349 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-8976-1011
Vasile RusDepartment of Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, Calea Mănăștur No. 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-3706-887X
Raluca Maria PopDepartment of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-1899-5977
Cătălin PopaDepartment of Materials Science and Engineering, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 103-105, Muncii Ave., 400641 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0003-4188-1169
Răzvan Marian MelinteDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-6965-4649
Diana Jecan-ToaderDepartment 2, Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Dragoș ApostuDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Luca SimionescuDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0009-0001-5559-1026
Vlad BlănaruOrthopedics and Traumatology Clinic "Alexandru Radulescu", Emergency County Hospital, 400347 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Daniel Oltean-DanDepartment of Orthopedics and Traumatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy "Iuliu Hațieganu", 400132 Cluj-Napoca, Romania.ORCID 0000-0002-8094-8963

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundOsteoporosis is a major skeletal disorder, particularly affecting postmenopausal women. Young ovariectomized rat models are commonly used to investigate estrogen deficiency-related skeletal changes, although they do not fully reproduce osteoporosis in a mature postmenopausal skeleton. Established pharmacological therapies remain the cornerstone of osteoporosis management, while nutritional factors continue to be investigated for their potential supportive role in bone metabolism. Menaquinone-7 (MK-7), a form of vitamin K2, has been investigated for potential skeletal effects through vitamin k-dependent mechanisms, particularly osteocalcin carboxylation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the dose-dependent effects of MK-7 on bone turnover markers, femoral mechanical resistance, qualitative histological findings, and hepatic safety in a young ovariectomized rat model.

methodsForty female Wistar rats that were 8 weeks old, and thus still undergoing skeletal maturation, were assigned to four groups: sham-operated controls, ovariectomized controls, ovariectomized rats treated with low-dose MK-7, and ovariectomized rats treated with high-dose MK-7. Treatment was administered every 48 h for 12 weeks. At study completion, 35 rats survived; standardized analysis included eight animals per group. Plasma bone turnover markers (BTMs) and alanine aminotransferase were measured, femoral strength was assessed by the three-point bending test, and bone and liver histology was analyzed.

resultsBiomechanical testing showed that high-dose MK-7 was associated with greater femoral mechanical resistance compared with untreated ovariectomized rats, while qualitative histology suggested differences in cortical architecture among groups. Biochemically, MK-7 treatment reduced undercarboxylated osteocalcin, suggesting vitamin K-dependent target engagement, whereas conventional turnover markers showed discordant findings. Overall, hepatic architecture was preserved, although mild hepatocellular apoptosis was observed.

conclusionsIn this young OVX rat model, high-dose MK-7 was associated with improved femoral mechanical resistance compared with untreated OVX controls. However, because ovariectomy was performed during skeletal maturation, these findings should be interpreted as preliminary and cannot be directly extrapolated to established postmenopausal osteoporosis in a mature skeleton, and further studies are needed to clarify its activity pathways and safety profile.

Indexed as

Bone RemodelingFemurVitamin K 2AnimalsBiomarkersBiomechanical PhenomenaDisease Models, AnimalDose-Response Relationship, DrugFemaleLiverOsteocalcinOvariectomyRatsRats, WistarBiomarkersmenaquinone 7OsteocalcinVitamin K 2bone mechanical resistancebone turnover markersmenaquinone-7MK-7osteocalcinosteoporosisvitamin K2young ovariectomized rat model

Identifiers

PMID42196970
PMCPMC13209287

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.