title: Preventive effects of berberine on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats.
abstract: Glucocorticoids are widely used to treat chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. However, long-term glucocorticoid therapy can result in serious side effects, such as osteoporosis. The present study investigated the preventive effects of berberine on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with vehicle, glucocorticoid, glucocorticoid and berberine, or glucocorticoid and calcium carbonate with vitamin D (3) for 12 weeks. The proximal tibiae of all rats were processed without decalcification for quantitative bone histomorphometry, and femur mechanical testing as well as bone mineral density (BMD) were analyzed. A significant decrease was found in the glucocorticoid-treated group compared with the control group in such indices as biomechanical quality, BMD, trabecular bone volume/total tissue area (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), mineral apposition rate (MAR), bone formation rate/total tissue area (BFR/TV), and bone formation rate/trabecular bone surface (BFR/BS). In addition, significantly increased trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), osteoclast number/trabecular bone volume (Oc.N/BV), and osteoclast surface/trabecular bone surface (Oc.S/BS) were observed in the glucocorticoid-treated group, compared with the control group. Berberine and calcium carbonate with vitamin D (3) prevented the decrease in biomechanical quality, BMD, BV/TV, Tb.N, Tb.Th, MAR, BFR/TV, and BFR/BS, as well as increased Tb.Sp, Oc.N/BV, and Oc.S/BS in glucocorticoid-induced osteoporotic rats. The present results suggest that berberine prevents glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis by inhibiting bone resorption and improving bone formation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Guangdong Medical College, Dongguan, China. daohuax@yahoo.com.cn
authors.forename: Daohua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Chenhui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Yuyu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Bilian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001599:Berberine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001862:Bone Resorption / Q000517:prevention & control; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002119:Calcium Carbonate / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D039323:Coptis / Q000737:chemistry; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013977:Tibia; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D010936:Plant Extracts; D001599:Berberine; D014807:Vitamin D; D002119:Calcium Carbonate