OBJECTIVETo observe the influent of the different components of nourishing kidney herbs on the main items of bone metabolism in osteoporosis rats induced with Dexamethasona(DXM).

METHODModels of three-month old SD female rats with osteoporosis here made by being fed with low calcium diet (containing calcium 0.2%) and distilled water, and injected with DXM 0.1 mg/100 g weight intramuscularly, twice a week. Then the osteoporosis rats were treated with different components of nourishing kidney herbs, and the change of calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase(ALP), calcitonin(CT), PTH, CT/PTH, estrogen(E2), testosterone(T), T/E2 and bone section and bone quantitative morphology in these osteoporosis rats were observed.

RESULTThe total components of nourishing kidney herbs could improve the general condition of osteoporosis rats, decrease PTH, increase CT, estrogen, testosterone, CT/PTH and T/E2. The total components of nourishing kidney herbs could improve osteoporotic state, promote bone formation, and inhibite bone resorption. But no effect of the A, B, C, D components of nourishing kidney herbs on the main items of bone metabolism in osteoporosis rats induced with DXM was found.

CONCLUSIONIt is possible that the purification and separation of these herbs weaken or destroy the integrative effect of nourishing kidney herbs or destroy effective components of nourishing kidney herbs during the process of purification and separation.