title: [Effects of "Qiang Gu Kang Wei" compound prescription on bone metabolism in rats under simulated weightlessness].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of "Qiang Gu Kang Wei" prescription on bone metabolism in simulated weightless rats.
  
  
  METHODS
  Male SD rats were randomly divided into five groups: 1) free active control (FAC); 2) tail-suspended control (TS); 3) tail-suspended and treated with large dose of the prescription (TS + L) (30 g/kg); 4) tail-suspended and treated with middle dose of the prescription (TS + M) (20 g/kg); 5) tail suspended and treated with small dose of the prescription (TS + S) (10 g/kg). The experiment lasted 3 weeks. The effect of the prescription on bone biomechanical properties, bone density, bone mineral contents, and bone biochemical markers of bone metabolism were examined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bone biomechanical properties, bone density, total and bound bone gla protein (BGP) of serum all increased significantly in three groups treated with the prescription.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  "Qiang Gu Kang Wei" prescription prevents bone loss, hence maintains bone density and bone biomechanical properties under simulated weightlessness.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Space Medico-Engineering, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Quan-chun
authors.initials: QC
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Yong-zhi
authors.initials: YZ
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Gui-er
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Yuan-ru
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.forename: Jun-shui
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hong-zhi
authors.initials: HZ
authors.lastname: Shi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects*; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D015675:Osteocalcin / Q000097:blood / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018474:Weightlessness Simulation
chemical_list: D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D015675:Osteocalcin