Background: As the most common form of secondary osteoporosis, Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is one of the main diseases in youthful people. This investigation aims to analyze the therapeutic effect of Prunus amygdalus aqueous extract (PAE) on the osteoporosis induced by dexamethasone in rat models.

Methods: The subjects were 32 male rats randomly divided into four groups: the group receiving dexamethasone (0.1 mg/kg), the group receiving physiological serum, the groups receiving Prunus amygdalus aqueous extract (300 mg/kg) and dexamethasone, and the group receiving sodium alendronate (0.2 mg/kg) and dexamethasone. By the end of the treatment period, the rats were sacrificed, and their blood samples were collected in order to evaluate the levels of calcium (Ca), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and phosphorus (P) levels in blood. In addition, their femurs were separated for the purpose of histological analysis, while the samples were taken from metaphysis and epiphysis.

Results: It was shown that the Prunus amygdalus aqueous extract had a positive effect on the prevention of osteoporosis. Also, the effective role of Prunus amygdalus aqueous extract in the prevention of osteoporosis induced by dexamethasone was confirmed based on histomorphometric and biochemical parameters.

Conclusion: It was shown that prescription of dexamethasone reduced the histomorphometric parameters in the rat femur. Also, the administration of the aqueous extract of Prunus amygdalus along with dexamethasone could significantly prevent the progress of osteoporosis. As a result, a potential candidate to prevent glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis is almond for the patients in need of long-term treatment with glucocorticoid.