Figure 4.

O‐methylated (−)‐epigallocatechin gallate attenuated the LPS‐induced loss of mandibular alveolar bone in mice. (A) Alveolar bone collected from mouse lower mandible was cultured for 5 days with LPS (5 μg·mL⁻¹) and EGCG3″Me (30–90 μm). The bone‐resorbing activity was measured based on the calcium in the medium. The data are expressed as the means ± SEM of four cultures. (B) As a model for experimental periodontitis, LPS (25 μg per mouse) was injected with or without EGCG3″Me (100 μg per mouse) into the lower gingiva in mice on days 0, 2, and 4. The mandibular alveolar bones were collected on day 7 and measured for the BMD. The data are expressed as the means ± SEM of six or seven mice. Upper panels indicate the image data of DXA in each experimental condition. A significant difference between the two groups was indicated; *P < 0.05 and **P < 0.01 vs. control, ^# P < 0.05 and ^## P < 0.01 vs. LPS.