title: Treatment of Radix Dipsaci extract prevents long bone loss induced by modeled microgravity in hindlimb unloading rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Radix Dipsaci is a kidney tonifying herbal medicine with a long history of safe use for treatment of bone fractures and joint diseases in China. Previous studies have shown that Radix Dipsaci extract (RDE) could prevent bone loss in ovariectomized rats.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study investigates the effect of RDE against bone loss induced by simulated microgravity.
  
  
  METHODS
  A hindlimb unloading rat model was established to determine the effect of RDE on bone mineral density and bone microarchitecture. Twenty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups (n = 6 per group): control (CON), hindlimb unloading with vehicle (HLU), hindlimb unloading treated with alendronate (HLU-ALN, 2.0 mg/kg/d), and hindlimb unloading treated with RDE (HLU-RDE, 500 mg/kg/d). RDE or ALN was administrated orally for 4 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with RDE had a positive effect on mechanical strength, BMD, BMC, bone turnover markers, and the changes in urinary calcium and phosphorus excretion. MicroCT analysis showed that RDE significantly prevented the reduction of the bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabecular number, thickness, tissue mineral density, and tissue mineral content as well as improved the trabecular separation and structure model index.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RDE was demonstrated to prevent the loss of bone mass induced by HLU treatment, which suggests the potential application of RDE in the treatment of microgravity-induced bone loss.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University , Xi'an , PR China .
authors.forename: Yinbo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Chenrui
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Yalei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Yuhua
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xianghe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Shuo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: YuanKun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.forename: Xianglong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Wutu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Qibing
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Mei
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D049917:Dipsacaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005269:Femur / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D019417:Hindlimb Suspension; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000652:urine; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014893:Weightlessness / Q000009:adverse effects*
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010758:Phosphorus; D003404:Creatinine; D002118:Calcium
keywords: Bone density; Dipsacus asperoides; bone strength