title: Treatment effect ofBushen Huayuextract on postmenopausal osteoporosisin vivo.
abstract: Bushen Huayuextract (BSHY), a traditional Chinese medicine, has been demonstrated to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis, however, the underlying mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. The aim of the present study was to investigate the therapeutic effect of BSHY and the mechanisms underlying this effect in anin vivopostmenopausal osteoporosis animal model. A total of 1 g BSHY containing 7.12 μg icariin was prepared. Low-dose BSHY (BSHY-L; 11.1 g/kg), medium-dose BSHY (BSHY-M; 22.2 g/kg) and high-dose BSHY (BSHY-H; 44.4 g/kg) was administered to oophorectomized rats using intragastric infusion. Estradiol (E2), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, as well as bone density, were determined. It was found that the levels of serum ALP in the BSHY-L, BSHY-M and BSHY-H groups (197.75±41.74, 166.63±44.83 and 165.63±44.90 IU/l, respectively) were significantly decreased compared with the model group (299.13±45.79 IU/l; P<0.05), whilst the levels of E2 (16.89±1.71, 17.95±1.40 and 18.34±1.43 pg/ml, respectively) increased compared with the model group (14.54±1.61; P<0.05). In addition, the levels of IL-6 decreased in the BSHY-L, BSHY-M and BSHY-H groups (91.85±14.81, 82.99±15.65 and 80.54±14.61 pg/ml, respectively) compared with the model group (105.93±16.50 pg/ml; P<0.05). Furthermore, it was demonstrated that BSHY increased the bone density in the BSHY-L, BSHY-M and BSHY-H groups (0.20±0.014, 0.22±0.016 and 0.22±0.017 g/cm2, respectively) compared with the model group (0.19±0.011 g/cm2; P<0.05). BSHY was also found to increase the number of osteoblasts in the BSHY-L, BSHY-M and BSHY-H groups (25.38±2.17, 29.25±2.12 and 30.00±2.39, respectively), compared with in the model group (14.75±2.38; P<0.05), and decrease the number of osteoclasts in the BSHY-L, BSHY-M and BSHY-H groups (4.00±1.85, 4.25±1.39 and 5.75±1.49, respectively) compared with 9.50±1.60 observed in the model group (P<0.05). These results suggest that BSHY is a potential therapeutic drug for the treatment of osteoporosisin vivo. Furthermore, these results suggest that the mechanism by which BSHY decreases the serum levels of IL-6 may be by regulating E2.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Pharmacology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China ; School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Lu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ouyang
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Pharmacology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China ; School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China ; Basic School of Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Qiufang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Basic School of Medicine, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xuzhi
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: School of Chinese Medicine, LKS Faculty, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Yibin
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chinese Herbal Pharmacology, Renmin Hospital, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China ; School of Pharmacy, Hubei University of Medicine, Shiyan, Hubei 442000, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xuanbin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
keywords: alkaline phosphatase; estradiol; interleukin-6; nilestriol; traditional Chinese medicine