title: The effect of Lycii Radicis Cortex extract on bone formation in vitro and in vivo.
abstract: Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disease caused by decreased bone mass; it enhances the risk of bone fracture. This study aimed to discover novel herbal extract(s) for the treatment of osteoporosis. We screened 64 ethanol extracts of edible plants native to Korea for their ability to increase the cellular proliferation and differentiation of two osteoblastic cell lines: C3H10T1/2 and MC3T3-E1. We selected a Lycii Radicis Cortex (LRC), Lycium Chinese root bark as the primary candidate. Treatment with LRC extract showed enhanced alkaline phosphatase activity and increased expression of bone metabolic markers Alpl, Runx2, and Bglap genes in both osteoblastic cell lines. There was no effect on the osteoclastic differentiation of primary-cultured monocytes from the mouse bone marrows. Furthermore, the study examined the effect of LRC extract in vivo in ovariectomizd (OVX) mice for 8 weeks and 16 weeks, respectively. Bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly higher in LRC extract-administered group than in the non-LRC-administered OVX control group. The results indicated that LRC extract prevented the OVX-induced BMD loss in mice via promoting the differentiation of osteoblast linage cells. These results suggest that LRC extract may be a good natural herbal medicine candidate for the treatment of osteoporosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. jude0815@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Eunkuk
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. microchin@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Hyun-Seok
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Department of Family Practice and Community Health, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. dooycho@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Doo-Yeoun
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. danbi37kjh@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Jeonghyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. momotos@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Mun-Chang
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Natural Products Research Institute, Gyeonggi Institute of Science & Technology Promotion, Suwon 443-721, Korea. cwchoi78@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chun Whan
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. jinyilan520@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Yilan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.affiliation: Korea Food Research Institute, Seongnam 463-746, Korea. dnjs0004@naver.com.
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Dongwoodang Pharmacy Co., Ltd., Yeongchen 770-864, Korea. navy9376@hanmail.net.
authors.forename: Jin-Hyok
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. yschung@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Yoon-Sok
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.affiliation: Dongwoodang Pharmacy Co., Ltd., Yeongchen 770-864, Korea. herbleader@omniherb.com.
authors.forename: Dam
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huh
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 443-721, Korea. jeongsy@ajou.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Seon-Yong
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Jeong
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D015519:Bone Density / Q000187:drug effects; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects; D002460:Cell Line; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D032305:Lycium / Q000737:chemistry; D051379:Mice; D010006:Osteoblasts / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010012:Osteogenesis / Q000187:drug effects*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D056910:Republic of Korea; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C000599698:Lycii Radicis Cortex; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012333:RNA, Messenger