title: A traditional Chinese herbal preparation, Er-Zhi-Wan, prevent ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Er-Zhi-Wan (EZW), a classic Chinese formulation, which contains Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) and Herba Ecliptae (HE). EZW is widely used to prevent and treat various kidney diseases for its actions of nourishing the kidney and strengthening tendon and bone. Although recent reports indicate that EZW restrains osteoclastic bone resorption, its effects on the protection against define OVX-induced bone loss in mature rats have not been systematically investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty 3-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into sham-operated group (Sham) and five OVX subgroups, OVX with vehicle (OVX); OVX with Estradiol Valerate (EV, 0.4 mg/kg body weight/day); OVX with EZW of graded doses (9.0, 4.5, or 2.25 g/kg/day). Daily oral administration of EV and EZW on 5th week for 26 weeks. Bone turnover markers (Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP), osteocalcin (OCN), deoxypyridinoline (DPD)), other parameters, including serum calcium (S-Ca), serum phosphorus (S-P), urine calcium (U-Ca), phosphorus (U-P), and bone mineral density (BMD) of the femur, 4th lumbar vertebra and tibia, bone biomechanical properties and trabecular microarchitecture parameters were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Administration of EZW could significantly prevent ovariectomy-induced bone loss, biomechanical reduction, deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture and the body weight gain without affecting the weight of the uterus, and increased S-Ca, S-P levels, decreased level of bone turnover markers and U-Ca, U-P levels in ovariectomized rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicated that EZW had a definite antiosteoporotic effect without hyperplastic effect on uterus, and it might be a potential alternative medicine for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
authors: Biomedicine Key Laboratory of Shaanxi Province, Northwest University, No. 229 Taibai North Road, Xi'an 710069, People's Republic of China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Cheng
authors: Qingwei
authors: Q
authors: Wang
authors: Yinke
authors: Y
authors: Fan
authors: Xueying
authors: X
authors: Liu
authors: Lu
authors: L
authors: Wang
authors: Renmin
authors: R
authors: Xie
authors: Charlene C
authors: CC
authors: Ho
authors: Wenji
authors: W
authors: Sun
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008516:Medicine, Chinese Traditional; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley