Effect of Chrysophyllum cainito L. leaves on bone formation in vivo and in silico

Phytoestrogens are compounds that have estrogen-like functions and have the ability to overcome osteoporosis. Chrysophyllum cainito L. is a plant that contains phytoestrogens. This study aimed to identify the activity of 96% ethanol extract of C. cainito leaves in increasing the bone density in trabecular vertebrae bone of dexamethasone-induced male mice. The prediction of phytoestrogen compounds that have the bone induction effect was done using in silico study. A 96% ethanol extract of C. cainito leaves was given at 0.1; 0.2; 0.4; and 0.8 mg/g/day after being induced with dexamethasone. The increase in bone density was observed after histomorphometry. The in silico study was done using metabolite profiling data from a previous study as a sample. The result showed the increase of bone density in all groups, with the best dose at 0.1 mg/g/day with bone density value 266.65 ± 1.38 μm, and ED50 value of 95.4 mg/g/day. This effect was suspected to be due to phytoestrogens content and supported by the data from in silico study, which showed that eight compounds were predicted to have similar activities to 17β-estradiol. It was also found that phytoestrogens can influence bone formation in male mice because of their steroid core structure similarities with phytotestosterone