title: Effects of Foeniculum vulgare ethanol extract on osteogenesis in human mecenchymal stem cells.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Osteoporosis or silent disease is a major bone disorder in elderly women in current century. Estrogen has an important role in osteogenesis and prevention of bone fractures. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is usually accompanied by such effects as breast and ovary cancers. Thus, there is an increasing demand for replacement with plant phytoestrogens. This study is focused on determining the effects of Foeniculum vulgare extract on proliferation and osteogenesis progress in human mesenchymal stem cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  Human mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and treated with different amount of plant extracts (0.5 to 100 µg/ml). Extract cytotoxicity was measured using MTT assay. The alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity was measured to evaluate the differentiation progress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RESULTS of MTT assay and alkaline phosphatase activity showed that Foeniculum vulgare extract, at range of 5 to 50 µg/ml, may positively affect cell proliferation and mineralization. The most proliferation and enzyme activity were seen with dose of 5 µg/ml.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Foeniculum vulgare has been used in Iranian folk medicine for many years. Our in vitro study showed that Foeniculum vulgare extract has osteoprotective effects.
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of New Technologies and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, I. R. Iran.
authors: Zahra
authors: Z
authors: Mahmoudi
authors: Department of Hematology , Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, I. R. Iran.
authors: Masoud
authors: M
authors: Soleimani
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of New Technologies and Energy Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, I. R. Iran.
authors: Abbas
authors: A
authors: Saidi
authors: Department of Hematology, School of Medicine, Boushehr University of Medical Science, Boushehr, I. R. Iran.
authors: Gholamreza
authors: G
authors: Khamisipour
authors: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Bu - ali Sina University, Hamedan , I. R. Iran.
authors: Arezoo
authors: A
authors: Azizsoltani
keywords: Alkaline Phosphatase; Foeniculum Vulgare; Osteogenesis; Proliferation