Reducing Osteoporosis by Phytase Supplemented Diet in Albino Rats

Background and Objective: Phytases are considered to be prospect nominee for use as an enzyme that have great value in enhancing the nutritional quality of phytate-rich foods and feed. The present study aimed at production of high value of phytase enzyme from new microbial isolates and investigates the effect of this enzyme as supplemented diet on bone performance in albino rats. Materials and Methods: Screening of seventy lactobacillus sp. for greatest phytase productivity. Basal diet would be supplemented with 1.6 mg kg(-1) zinc carbonate or 520 U kg(-1) of prepared phytase for 6 weeks. Thirty Wister rats 150 +/- 7 g (15 males and 15 females) were divided into 3 groups (5 for each sex). G1: Control group fed with basal diet, G2: Fed with basal diet supplemented with 1.6 mg kg(-1) zinc carbonate and G3: Fed with basal diet supplemented with 520 U kg(-1) phytase enzyme. Levels of bone porosity and minerals in serum and bone (iron, zinc, phosphorus and calcium) were measured in each animal. Data were statistically analyzed using students t-test according to Snedecor and Cochran and values are expressed as Mean +/- SE (p <= 0.05). Results: A significant elevation of phosphorus, calcium and zinc were recorded in serum and bone for both sex in phytase treated rats, as well as pronounced reduction in the percentage of bone porosity was observed 3.42 and 0.41 for female and male, respectively in the same groups. Conclusion: Diet rich with phytase enzyme induced promise improvement in mineral metabolism and bone structure throughout the experiment. That might reduce osteoporosis in long time usage.