OBJECTIVETo study directional differentiation of BMSCs guided by Desert living Cistanche (Herba Cistanches) which invigorates the kidney.

METHODSPrimary BMSCs were obtained by whole bone marrow culture and subcultured to the fourth generation by trypsin digestion, and than inoculated into two six-well plates at 5 x 10(6) cells per milliliter, all the plates were divided into three groups as blank group, Dexamethasone (DXM) group and Herba Cistanches group, three wells in each group, medium were changed at day 2. The blank group were changed with L-DMEM containing 10% FBS. The DXM group were changed with medium containing 10 mmol/L beta-sodium glycerophosphate, 0.1 micromol/L DXM and 50 mg/L vitamin C. The Herba Cistanches group were changed with medium containing 10% blood serum containing Herba Cistanches and L-DMEM. One of the six-well plates was stained by alkaline phosphatase (AKP) at the tenth day,the other one was stained by alizarin Bordeaux at the twentieth day.

RESULTSAt the tenth day DXM group and Herba Cistanches group were ALKP stained positive; from the 12th day,white calcium nodus could be seen at the surface of the wells; which alizarin stained positive by the twentyth day.

CONCLUSIONThe medium containing Herba Cistanches can guide BMSCs to differentiate into osteoblast, which promises a favorable prospect for the treatment of osteoporosis and bone fracture disunion.