title: In vitro and in vivo effects of puerarin on promotion of osteoblast bone formation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of puerarin, a natural flavonoid found in Chinese Pueraria Lobata (Wild.) Ohwi, on promotion of new bone formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Osteoblasts isolated from calvarial of newborn rats were cultured in vitro in the presence of puerarin at various concentrations. The viability of osteoblasts and alkaline phosphotase activity and mineral node formation were determined. In addition, osteoblasts seeded in the β-tricaclium phosphate scalfolds as bone substitute were implanted in rat dorsal muscles. Half -of the recipient rats received intramuscular injection of puerarin at 10 mg/(kg·d) for 7 days. Osteogenesis was analyzed by examining the histology after 4 weeks of implantation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The viability of osteoblasts treated with puerarin at either 40 or 80 μmol/L was significantly higher than that of the control (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Alkaline phosphatase and mineral modules were significantly increased in osteoblasts cultured with puerarin at 40 or 80 mol/L when compared with that of the untreated cells. The puerarin-treated rats had a higher rate of bone formation in the osteoblast implants than the control rats (6.35% vs. 1.32%, respectively, P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Puerarin was able to affect osteoblast proliferation and differentiation, and promote the new bone formation in osteoblast implants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sport Injury, the Affiliated Red Cross Hospital of Medical College of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Ming-Yu
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Qiang
authors.forename: Hua-Qing
authors.initials: HQ
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Xiao-Qian
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Dang
authors.forename: Kun-Zheng
authors.initials: KZ
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002113:Calcification, Physiologic / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D007529:Isoflavones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D054457:Tissue Scaffolds
chemical_list: D007529:Isoflavones; D000469:Alkaline Phosphatase; C033607:puerarin