OBJECTIVETo study and evaluate the effect of Sangu Decoction (SGD, ) on the bone destruction due to mammary cancer metastasis.

METHODSMetastasis rat mammary tumor-1 cells were transplanted into the left hind limb tibia of SD rats to establish the bone metastasis of the mammary cancer model. The modeled rats were treated with SGD for observing its effect on rats' pain behavior, including 50% paw withdrawal threshold (50% PWT) after von Frey fiber stimulation, burden difference of bilateral feet, and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL), with zoledronic acid as the positive control. Moreover, the damage in the tibia sample of rats was scored by an iconographic method, and the bone mineral density (BMD) as well as the bone mineral content (BMC) were estimated.

RESULTSThe model established showed characteristics of mixed metastasis, revealing the manifestations of tumor development, bone destruction, cancerous pain, etc. In the SGD-treated group, 50% PWT was prolonged (8.13 ± 4.76 vs. 2.30 ± 2.19), and TWL was longer (3.48 ± 0.62 s vs. 2.89 ± 0.26 s) than those in the control group, respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Iconographic scoring also showed improvement of BMD (0.134 ± 0.009 vs. 0.120 ± 0.007, P<0.01) and an elevating trend of BMC in the SGD-treated group.

CONCLUSIONSGD could effectively alleviate the cancerous pain of bone metastasis and mitigate the metastasis that cause osteolytic destruction of bone.

Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Bone Neoplasms ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; secondary ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Mammary Neoplasms, Animal ; pathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reaction Time ; drug effects

BACKGROUNDEpidemiological study showed that the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors was associated with higher bone mineral density (BMD) in older people, especially male subjects, which suggested that angiotensin II may have a detrimental effect on bone. Therefore, blocking its effect may have a beneficial effect on bone health.

METHODSSix-month-old male spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) were used. Animals of each model were randomly assigned to the following four groups: Group 1, SHAM operated+vehicle; Group 2, orchidectomy (ORX)+vehicle; Group 3, ORX+low-dose losartan (10 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)); and Group 4, ORX+high-dose losartan (25 mg×kg(-1)×d(-1)). Blood pressure was recorded weekly. SHAM and ORX operations were performed, followed by daily losartan and vehicle treatment from day 4 after operation for 16 weeks. Serum and 24-hour urine samples were collected for measurement of bone turnover markers before euthanasia and then the left femur was collected for measurements of BMD and microarchitecture before mechanical test.

RESULTSUrine deoxypyridinoline/urine creatinine (DPD/Cr) ratio was significantly higher in SHR than in WKY. BMD and microarchitecture parameters also showed bone deterioration in SHR. After ORX, serum osteocalcin concentration decreased and urine DPD/Cr ratio increased significantly accompanied by a significant decrease in cortical and trabecular BMD and cortical bone thickness in both WKY and SHR. High-dose losartan significantly increased DPD in urine in both SHR and WKY. Apart from marginal favorable changes in bone architecture in WKY treated with high-dose losartan, losartan did not show significant effect on BMD, bone area, bone microarchitecture, and mechanical properties in both SHR and WKY.

CONCLUSIONAngiotensin II type I receptor blocker losartan was not able to demonstrate significant effect on ORX-induced bone deterioration in both hypertensive and normotensive rats.

Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers ; therapeutic use ; Animals ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; pathology ; Hypertension ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Losartan ; therapeutic use ; Male ; Orchiectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Systole ; drug effects

Bone is a unique organ composed of mineralized hard tissue, unlike any other body part. The unique manner in which bone can constantly undergo self-remodeling has created interesting clinical approaches to the healing of damaged bone. Healing of large bone defects is achieved using implant materials that gradually integrate with the body after healing is completed. Such strategies require a multidisciplinary approach by material scientists, biological scientists, and clinicians. Development of materials for bone healing and exploration of the interactions thereof with the body are active research areas. In this review, we explore ongoing developments in the creation of materials for regenerating hard tissues.
Animals ; Bone Regeneration/*drug effects ; Bone Substitutes/*therapeutic use ; Bone and Bones/*drug effects/pathology/physiopathology ; Ceramics/therapeutic use ; Diffusion of Innovation ; Fracture Healing/drug effects ; Humans ; Hydrogels ; Polymers/therapeutic use ; Regenerative Medicine/*trends ; Tissue Engineering/*trends ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of Panax Notoginseng Saponins (PNS) on tendon healing in bone tunnel.

METHODSThe experiment was performed in the animal laboratory, Wangjing hospital from April to August, 2010. All the experiment procedures were accorded with the animal ethical requirements. Twenty New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into blank control group and PNS group with 10 animals in each group. Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with toe extensor tendon was done in knee joints of rabbits by suspend fixation model. PNS was injected in bone tunnel of rabbits in PNS group, and nothing was given to blank group. Specimens were collected at 4 and 8 weeks after surgery. Sections were stained with HE stain to observe the changes of interface tissue between bone tunnel and tendon graft. Interface types were classified according to Yamakado method.

RESULTSAt 4 weeks after surgery, the interface was filled with connective tissue in both group, while at 8 weeks, there was not obvious gap between bone and tendon graft in both groups under macrography. Under microscope, there were more fibroblast in the PNS group. There was larger new bone formation area in PNS group. The classification on the Yamakado type was significantly different between two group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONPNS can enhance tendon-bone healing in bone tunnel, and promote the connection between tendon and bone. The study lacks quantitative analysis of those criteria, and the mechanics of the promotion of tendon-bone healing has not been totally clear.

Animals ; Bone and Bones ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Cell Count ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Cell Shape ; drug effects ; Fibroblasts ; drug effects ; pathology ; Male ; Neovascularization, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Panax notoginseng ; chemistry ; Rabbits ; Saponins ; pharmacology ; Tendons ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Wound Healing ; drug effects

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the roles or effects of oviductus ranae (OR) or oviductus ranae eggs (ORE) in preventing and treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.

METHODSIn vivo experiment: Sixty female adult Wistar rats were randomly divided into 5 groups of 12. To provide an osteoporosis model 4 groups of rats were ovariectomized (OVX), with the 5th being sham operated. Medication commenced 7 days after the operation and lasted continuously for 12 weeks. Sham operated and OVX groups were given equivalent volumes of 5% Tween-80. The other three groups intragastrically received conjugated estrogens (CE), OR or ORE of the corresponding doses. At the 12th week, serum estrogen, bone gla protein (BGP), serum calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were assayed; bone mineral densities (BMD) were measured and bone scanning was conducted; uteri were weighed, and weight, volume and length of the femoral bones were determined; and cortical thickness of femoral heads and area of bone trabecula were measured by image analyzer. In vitro experiment: Eighty 10-month old SD rats, with equal numbers of males and females, were randomly divided into 8 groups. Osteoblasts were isolated from neonatal rat calvariae, and the cells were exposed to various concentrations of serum from OR and ORE groups to study the impact of these sera on osteoblastic proliferation, ALP activity and mineralization. Osteoclastic numbers were determined using tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP).

RESULTSIn vivo experiment: The body weight of the four OVX groups increased significantly (P<0.01). Uterine weight of the CE group was the highest (P<0.01); Compared with the model group, estrogen level, BMD, bone scanning/bone imaging index weight of the femoral bones, cortical thickness of femoral heads in the OR and ORE groups increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01); femoral volume in the ORE group increased significantly (P<0.05); and the content of osteocalcin, phosphorus, and ALP in serum decreased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). In vitro experiment: Sera from OR and ORE groups had notable effects on the proliferation of osteoblasts (P<0.05 and P<0.01, repsectively) and stimulated the formation of calcium nodes (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the enhancement of ALP activity in osteoblasts was significant (P<0.05, P<0.01). The number of TRAP-positive cells was significantly reduced as well (P<0.01).

CONCLUSIONSOR and its eggs could effectively suppress OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats, and increase bone turnover possibly by both an increase in osteoblastic activity and a decrease in osteoclastic activity. The present study provides evidence that OR and its eggs could be considered a complementary and alternative medicine for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Acid Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Biomarkers ; blood ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Bone and Bones ; metabolism ; Calcification, Physiologic ; drug effects ; Cell Count ; Cell Differentiation ; drug effects ; Cell Proliferation ; drug effects ; Female ; Femur ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Isoenzymes ; metabolism ; Male ; Materia Medica ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Osteoblasts ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Osteoclasts ; drug effects ; enzymology ; pathology ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Ovum ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Tartrate-Resistant Acid Phosphatase ; Uterus ; drug effects ; pathology