title: Total flavonoids of Herba Epimedii improves osteogenesis and inhibits osteoclastogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In China Herba Epimedii is one of the most common herbs that could be prescribed for treating osteoporosis. It is known to increase the overall mineral content, therefore, to promote bone formation and to increase lumbar bone mineral density (BMD). The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of flavonoids of Herba Epimedii (HEF) on osteogenesis in human MSCs.
  
  
  METHODS
  The human bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) were isolated and their osteogenic differentiation was evaluated by their alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities and level of mineralization. After treating with total flavonoids during osteogenic differentiation process, differential mRNA expression was examined by RT-PCR.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total time needed for osteogenic differentiation of BM-MSCs was significantly shortened by adding HEF. Up-regulation of mRNA expression by HEF was observed for several marker genes and osteogenic regulators. HEF was also found to inhibit osteoclastogenesis of MSCs by enhancing the ratio OPG/RANKL.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrated that the HEF could improve osteogenic differentiation and inhibit the osteoclast differentiation of BM-MSCs concurrently.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, PR China.
authors.forename: Jin-Fang
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Guo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Chun-Ling
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.forename: Qi
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Dong
authors.forename: Chu-Yan
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Ming-Liang
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: Ping-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.forename: Ya-Ou
authors.initials: YO
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hsiang-Fu
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Kung
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017931:DNA Primers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D059630:Mesenchymal Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D005419:Flavonoids; D012333:RNA, Messenger