Anti-Osteoporotic Effects of n-trans-Hibiscusamide and Its Derivative Alleviate Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss in Mice by Regulating RANKL-Induced Signaling

Osteoporosis is characterized by the deterioration of bone structures and decreased bone mass, leading to an increased risk of fracture. Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women and aging are major factors of osteoporosis and are some of the reasons for reduced quality of life. In this study, we investigated the effects of n-trans-hibiscusamide (NHA) and its derivative 4-O-(E)-feruloyl-N-(E)-hibiscusamide (HAD) on receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β (NF-κB) ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation and an ovariectomized osteoporosis mouse model. NHA and HAD significantly inhibited the differentiation of osteoclasts from bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) and the expression of osteoclast differentiation-related genes. At the molecular level, NHA and HAD significantly downregulated the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling molecules. However, Akt and NF-κB phosphorylation was inhibited only after NHA or HAD treatment. In the ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis model, both NHA and HAD effectively improved trabecular bone structure. C-terminal telopeptide (CTX), a bone resorption marker, and RANKL, an osteoclast stimulation factor, were significantly reduced by NHA and HAD. The tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-stained area, which indicates the osteoclast area, was also decreased by these compounds. These results show the potential of NHA and HAD as therapeutic agents for osteoporosis.

RURAL WOMEN AND AGING: IMPLICATIONS FOR WORK AND RETIREMENT OF OLDER WOMEN

At least half of the world’s female population live in rural areas, and many are ageing. For these rural women, agriculture and informal rural livelihoods are the primary sources of employment, posing critical challenges for them with regard to work and retirement. This paper focuses on the interaction between the twin phenomena of the feminisation of agriculture and the feminisation of ageing and the consequent implications for rural women’s work and retirement. Drawing on qualitative interviews and focus groups with 48 older rural Irish women, the paper establishes the ‘invisibility’ of women’s economic contribution in agriculture, limiting their pension accumulation and constraining their retirement planning. The study found that even women property owners, and designated ‘farmers’, had uncertainty about their pension or retirement income. A key conclusion is that rural women’s pension rights are still not guaranteed posing increased risk of economic insecurity and wellbeing for older rural women.