Effects of Zhimu （Anemarrhena asphodeloides）-Huangbai （Phellodendron amurense） Medicinal Pair on Femoral Microstructure and Osteogenic-Adipogenic Differentiation in Ovariectomized Osteoporosis Model Rats
10.13288/j.11-2166/r.2025.16.013
- VernacularTitle:知母-黄柏药对对卵巢切除骨质疏松症模型大鼠股骨微结构及骨脂分化的影响
- Author:
Chuncai LI
1
;
Mingxing YUAN
1
;
Jiawei LI
1
;
Jing DENG
1
;
Chongyang SHEN
1
;
Yuan LIU
1
Author Information
1. Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine，Chengdu，611137
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
postmenopausal osteoporosis;
Zhimu （Anemarrhena asphodeloides）;
Huangbai （Phellodendron amurense）;
osteogenic-adipogenic differentiation;
inflammatory factors;
femoral microstructure
- From:
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine
2025;66(16):1704-1710
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanisms of Zhimu （Anemarrhena asphodeloides）-Huangbai （Phellodendron amurense） medicinal pair in alleviating postmenopausal osteoporosis （PMOP）. MethodsSixty unpregnant female SD rats were randomly divided into five groups， blank group， model group， low-dose Zhimu-Huangbai group， high-dose Zhimu-Huangbai group， and estradiol group， with 12 rats in each group. Except for the blank group， all other groups had their ovaries removed to create PMOP rat models， while the blank group only had the fat tissue around the ovaries removed. One week after the ovarian removal， the low-dose and high-dose Zhimu-Huangbai groups received concentrated solution of Zhimu and Huangbai with 1.8， 7.2 g/（kg·d） via gavage， the estradiol group received estradiol solution 0.09 mg/（kg·d） via gavage， and the blank group and the model group received 10 ml/（kg·d） of normal saline via gavage， once daily for 12 weeks. Before sampling， the body mass of the rats was recorded， and uterine tissue was taken to calculate the uterine index. The levels of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-6 （IL-6） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum were detected by ELISA； micro CT was used to examine the parameters of femoral microstructure， including bone volume/tissue volume （BV/TV）， trabecular number （Tb.N）， trabecular thickness （Tb.Th）， bone mineral density （BMD）， trabecular separation （Tb.Sp）， and cortical bone area （Ct.Ar）. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in the femur； RT-qPCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of osteogenic-adipogenic differentiation-related factors in femoral tissue， including Runt-related transcription factor 2 （Runx2）， bone morphogenetic protein 2 （BMP-2）， peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPARγ）， chemerin and chemokine-like receptor 1 （CMKLR1）. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed a significant increase in body mass， a significant decrease in the uterine index， BV/TV， Tb.N， Tb.Th and BMD， a significant increase in Tb.Sp， and serum IL-1β， IL-6， and TNF-α levels， a significant reduction of mRNA expression of Runx2 and BMP-2 in bone tissue， and a significant increased mRNA expression of PPARγ， chemerin， and CMKLR1 （P＜0.01）. HE staining revealed that the femoral tissue showed a reduction and sparsity of trabeculae， a significant enlargement of the medullary cavity， and a large number of fat cells. Compared to the model group， the low-dose， high-dose Zhimu-Huangbai groups， and estradiol group showed significant improvements in all the above-mentioned indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. HE staining revealed a significant increase in trabeculae， more organized arrangement， and a marked reduction in fat cells. Compared to low-dose Zhimu-Huangbai group， the high-dose Zhimu-Huangbai group exhibited a significant increase in the uterine index and BMD， and a significant reduction in body mass and PPARγ and Chemerin mRNA expression （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to high-dose Zhimu-Huangbai group， the estradiol group showed a decrease in uterine index， BV/TV， Tb.N， Tb.Th， BMD， and BMP-2 mRNA expression， while the levels of IL-1β， TNF-α， and IL-6， as well as Tb.Sp and the mRNA expressions of PPARγ， chemerin， and CMKLR1 increased （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionThe Zhimu-Huangbai medicinal pair can alleviate PMOP bone loss， and its mechanism of action is related to reducing the levels of inflammatory factors， correcting the disorder of osteogenic-adipogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells （BMSCs）， and promoting the differentiation of BMSCs into osteoblasts.
