title: Labisia pumila regulates bone-related genes expressions in postmenopausal osteoporosis model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Labisia Pumila var. alata (LPva) has shown potential as an alternative to estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) in prevention of estrogen-deficient osteoporosis. In earlier studies using postmenopausal model, LPva was able to reverse the ovariectomy-induced changes in biochemical markers, bone calcium, bone histomorphometric parameters and biomechanical strength. The mechanism behind these protective effects is unclear but LPva may have regulated factors that regulate bone remodeling. The aim of this study is to determine the bone-protective mechanism of LPva by measuring the expressions of several factors involved in bone formative and resorptive activities namely Osteoprotegerin (OPG), Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor kappa-B Ligand (RANKL), Macrophage-Colony Stimulating Factor (MCSF) and Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 (BMP-2).
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-two female Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups: Sham-operated (Sham), ovariectomized control (OVXC), ovariectomized with Labisia pumila var. alata (LPva) and ovariectomized with ERT (Premarin) (ERT). The LPva and ERT were administered via daily oral gavages at doses of 17.5 mg/kg and 64.5 μg/kg, respectively. Following two months of treatment, the rats were euthanized and the gene expressions of BMP-2, OPG, RANKL and MCSF in the femoral bones were measured using a branch - DNA technique.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The RANKL gene expression was increased while the OPG and BMP-2 gene expressions were reduced in the OVXC group compared to the SHAM group. There were no significant changes in the MCSF gene expressions among the groups. Treatment with either LPva or ERT was able to prevent these ovariectomy-induced changes in the gene expressions in ovariectomized rats with similar efficacy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LPva may protect bone against estrogen deficiency-induced changes by regulating the RANKL, OPG and BMP-2 gene expressions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia (UKM), Jalan Raja Muda Abd Aziz, 50300, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. anazrun@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Siti Noor
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Fathilah
authors.forename: Norazlina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Norliza
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Muhammad
authors.forename: Isa Naina
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: Ima Nirwana
authors.initials: IN
authors.lastname: Soelaiman
authors.forename: Ahmad Nazrun
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Shuid
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000378:metabolism*; D053244:Osteoprotegerin / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029623:Primulaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D053245:RANK Ligand / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: C525719:Bmp2 protein, mouse; D055396:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2; D053244:Osteoprotegerin; D010936:Plant Extracts; D053245:RANK Ligand; C506031:Tnfrsf11b protein, mouse; C505689:Tnfsf11 protein, mouse; D016173:Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor