Primary osteoporosis (POP) is one of the most common diseases in the elderly people resulting in high risk of fracture and poor quality of life. In addition to the pathological changes in bone mass, most of the POP patients also suffer from Chinese medicine (CM) syndromes of Shen (Kidney) essence deficiency. Shen essences are highly related to bone. Shen essence deficiency plays an important part in the development of POP and a better diagnosis of POP could be made by combining CM syndromes with Western medicine risk factors. Treatments of POP should aim at both increasing the bone mass and relieving the syndromes of Shen essence deficiency. Clinical study confirmed that treating POP patients with Shen-tonifying herbs could increase the bone mass and relieve the CM syndromes of POP patients. Basic researches clarified the mechanism by which Shen-tonifying herbs increased bone mass in animal models. The mechanisms by which Shentonifying herbs relieve the CM syndromes are still in investigation.
Aging ; pathology ; Animals ; Bone and Bones ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Humans ; Kidney ; pathology ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Osteoporosis ; drug therapy

The purpose of this study was to investigate the treatment efficacies of salmon calcitonin (SC) and estrogen in a type-I osteoporotic rat model. Sixty, 3-month-old, female Wistar rats were divided into six groups. The first group was used as the control, and the second a sham, the other four were surgically ovariectomized. 24 hours after the ovariectomy, they were either left untreated (OVX), or treated with an injection of either 17-beta estradiol (E2) 30 mcg/kg/24 hours, low-dose calcitonin (LDC) 10 IU/ kg/48 hours or high-dose calcitonin (HDC) 20 IU/kg/48 hours. 6 weeks later, the bone densities were measured by DEXA, the animals sacrificed and the femurs harvested for histomorphometric evaluation. The bone mineral densities (BMD) of the spine and proximal femur were lower in the OVX group, but only the values of the spine BMD were statistically significant. The BMD of the spine seemed to be preserved with all the treatments. The histomorphometric evaluation revealed that after the OVX the decrease in the trabecular volume was prevented by all the treatments. However, significant changes in the indices of bone formation were not shown. In conclusion, all the treatments prevented bone lost in the ovariectomized rats. Histopathological measurements of bone formation are unlikely to provide any evidence for the effects of these agents on the osteoblastic function. In the animal model of estrogen depletion, our results suggest that the calcitonin provides an important alternative therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis.
Animals ; Bone Density/drug effects ; Calcitonin/*administration & dosage ; Comparative Study ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Estradiol/*therapeutic use ; Female ; Osteoporosis/*drug therapy/pathology/physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Salmon ; Spine/physiopathology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the preventive effects and possible underlying mechanism of different extracts of Kanggushu () on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.

METHODSOne hundred and sixtyfive female SD rats were divided into 11 groups: control, sham, model, Xianling Gubao Capsule (), nilestriol, Kanggushu aqueous extract high-, medium-, and low-dose and suet extract high-, medium-, and low-dose groups. The osteoporosis model was made by ovariectomizing the rats. The latter 8 groups were administered intragastricly with Xianling Gubao Capsule, nilestriol, Kanggushu aqueous extract and suet extract for 12 weeks, respectively, while the other 3 groups were administered orally saline. The whole body bone mineral density, bone mineral content, organ coefficient of uterus, serum estradiol and alkaline phosphatase contents, blood calcium, phosphorus, interleukin 6 and bone Gla-protein levels after treatment were monitored. Additionally, three-point bending test of femur, HE staining, and scanning electron microscope were performed to explore the pharmacodynamics and underlying mechanisms.

RESULTSIn comparison with ovariectomized rats of model group, Kanggushu aqueous extract high-dose resulted in an increased bone mineral density, bone mineral content and organ coefficient of uterus, improved estradiol level, and improved maximum load and structural stiffness (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Two-dimensional and three-dimensional trabecular structure was also observed under HE staining and scanning electron microscopy, and the number and thickness of trabecular bone in Kanggushu aqueous extract high-dose group was significantly increased compared to the model group, while the lipid droplets in bone marrow cavity were significantly less. However, there were no significant differences in blood calcium, total serum alkaline phosphatase and bone Gla protein among different treatment groups. Overall, the osteoprotective effects of Kanggushu aqueous extract were comparable to those of nilestriol and were significantly more effective than those of Xianling Gubao Capsule.

CONCLUSIONThe preventive effects of Kanggushu aqueous extract might be partly due to the increased estradiol level, accelerated restoration of bone trabecular reticulate structure, and accordingly increased bone mineral density in osteoporosis rats.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; metabolism ; Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; drug effects ; Body Weight ; drug effects ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Calcium ; metabolism ; Disease Models, Animal ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; therapeutic use ; Estradiol ; blood ; Female ; Femur ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; ultrastructure ; Interleukin-6 ; metabolism ; Organ Size ; drug effects ; Osteocalcin ; metabolism ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Phosphorus ; metabolism ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Uterus ; drug effects ; pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the cure effects of Jiangu Fufang on osteoporotic model induced by ovariectomy.

METHODRats were ovariectomized and administered drugs for 3 monthes. Bone mineral density and biomechanics properties, histomorphometric analysis and biochemical index such as calcium, phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase were detected.

RESULTJiangu Fufang could significantly increase bone density and biomechanics properties. The level of calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase were restored by Jiangu Fufang. Jiangu Fufang could significantly increase area of bone trabecula, thickness of cortical bone and bone trabecula.

CONCLUSIONJiangu Fufang could cure osteoporosis through increasing bone mineral density, improving bone biomechanics properties, and effecting bone metabolism.

Alkaline Phosphatase ; blood ; Animals ; Biomechanical Phenomena ; Bone Density ; drug effects ; Calcium ; blood ; Drug Combinations ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Female ; Femur ; physiopathology ; Lumbar Vertebrae ; drug effects ; pathology ; physiopathology ; Osteoporosis ; blood ; drug therapy ; physiopathology ; Ovariectomy ; Phosphorus ; blood ; Phytotherapy ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

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

OBJECTIVETo investigate the effect of organic gallium and gallium chloride on bone metabolism and their therapeutic effect against tretinoin-induced osteoporosis in rats.

METHODSRat models of osteoporosis was established with intragastric administration of tretinoin at the daily dose of 85 mg/kg for 15 days and randomized into control, organic gallium and gallium chloride groups. After administration of the corresponding treatments (none for the control group) for 4 weeks, the changes of the indices for osteoporosis were evaluated through biochemical and pathological approaches.

RESULTSTretinoin induced obvious changes in bone structure and contents of bone calcium and other elements, causing also significantly increased tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP), which suggested the development of osteoporosis. Administration of organic gallium and gallium chloride treatments increased the bone density, bone cortex thickness and the percentage of bone trabecula, and Ga, Ca, P contents in the femur and teeth, but lowered the activity of TRAP and AKP, suggesting decreased bone conversion rate. Compared with gallium chloride, organic gallium required smaller dose with better safety to produce better therapeutic effect.

CONCLUSIONOrganic gallium can be safe and effective for treatment of tretinoin-induced osteoporosis in rats.

Animals ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Femur ; drug effects ; metabolism ; pathology ; Gallium ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Hemodynamics ; drug effects ; Organometallic Compounds ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; therapeutic use ; Osteoporosis ; chemically induced ; drug therapy ; metabolism ; physiopathology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tooth ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Trace Elements ; metabolism ; Tretinoin ; pharmacology