[Skeletal biomechanical effectiveness of retinoic acid on induction of osteoporotic rats treated by alendronate and qianggu capsules].
OBJECTIVE
To study the effectiveness of retinoic acid on induction of osteoporotic rats treated by either alendronate or qianggu capsules and co-administration.


METHODS
Sixty-five female SD rats were treated with retinoic acid 80 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1) by gastric lavage for 15 days. Then 5 rats were confirmed cases of osteoporosis and the remaining 60 were randomly divided into 4 groups 15 each: (1) control group with NS 8 ml x kg(-1) x w(-1); (2) alendronate group with alendronate 40 mg x kg(-1) x w(-1); (3) qianggu group with qianggu capsules 90 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1); (4) co-medicated group with alendronate 40 mg x kg(-1) x w(-1) and qianggu capsules 90 mg x kg(-1) x d(-1). Five rats in each group were sacrificed at week 2, 4 and 6 respectively to carry out the biomechanic tests, histopathologic examination and bony callus volume calculation.


RESULTS
Biomechanical properties of femur changed significantly after the treatment by alendronate or qianggu capsules and co-medication as compared with that of NS after 4 weeks (P < 0.05); the bony callus were larger when treated by alendronate (P < 0.05) and smaller by qianggu capsules (P > 0.05); the bone trabecula formed and rebuilding were slower by alendronate and quicker by qianggu capsules.


CONCLUSIONS
Alendronate or qianggu capsules and co-medication can improve biomechanical properties of femur by retinoic acid on induction of osteoporotic rats. Qianggu capsules can improve bone union.
Chen
Long
L
Department of Orthopedics, Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Zhejiang, China. dragon@wzhealth.com
Chen
Lin-wei
LW
Chen
Hui
H
Guo
Xiao-shan
XS
Xu
Hua-zi
HZ
Zhang
Guo-you
GY
Qi
Dan-si
DS
D019386:Alendronate / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D017102:Fracture Healing; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications; D008517:Phytotherapy; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D014212:Tretinoin; D019386:Alendronate