Seaweed flour (“Lithothamnium calcareum”) as a mineral supplement in the bone healing of a cortical autograft in dogs

Abstract

The influence of the seaweed flour (Lithothamnium calcareum) was evaluated as a mineral supplement in during healing of bone failure reconstructed with a cortical autograft. Ten adult male mongrel dogs, weighing between 10 and 15kg, were used. The graft made of a cilinder block of the cortical bone was obtained by the ulna proximal diaphysis by ostectomy with a trephine of eight millimeters. In the same way, it was created a bone failure located in the middle-skull region of the proximal diaphysis of the ipsolateral tibia, and it served as a receptor bed. Two experimental groups were formed randomly, with five animals each. One group received a daily mineral supplement of seaweed flour for 30 consecutive days, and the other served as a control group. Clinical, radiological, and histopatological evaluations of bone healing were performed. Mineral supplementation with seaweed flour (Lithothamnium calcareum) contributed to a better cicatricial performance, since both the degree of radiopacity and the number of osteoclasts were higher in treated animals.