Puerarin prevents bone loss in ovariectomized mice and inhibits osteoclast formation in vitro / 中国天然药物

The present study aimed at investigating the effects of Puerarin (PR), a major isoflavonoid isolated from the Chinese medicinal herb Puerariae radix, on bone metabolism and the underlying mechanism of action. The in vivo assay, female mice were ovariectomized (OVX), and the OVX mice were fed with a diet containing low, middle, and high doses of PR (2, 4, and 8 mg·d(-1), respectively) or 17β-estradiol (E2, 0.03 μg·d(-1)) for 4 weeks. In OVX mice, the uterine weight declined, and intake of PR at any dose did not affect uterine weight, compared with the control. The total femoral bone mineral density (BMD) was significantly reduced by OVX, which was reversed by intake of the diet with PR at any dose, especially at the low dose. In the in vitro assay, RAW264.7 cells were used for studying the direct effect of PR on the formation of osteoclasts. PR reduced the formation of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multi-nucleated cells in the RAW 264.7 cells induced by receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB Ligand (RANKL). MC3T3-E1 cells were used for studying the effects of PR on the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and RANKL mRNA expression in osteoblasts. The expression of OPG mRNA and RANKL mRNA was detected by RT-PCR on Days of 5, 7, 10, and 12 after PR exposure. PR time-dependently enhanced the expression of OPG mRNA and reduced the expression of RANKL mRNA in MC3T3-E1 cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that PR can effectively prevent bone loss in OVX mice without any hyperplastic effect on the uterus, and the antiosteoporosis activity of PR may be related to its effects on the formation of osteoclasts and the expression of RANKL OPG in osteoblasts.

Influence of compound biejia ruangan prescription on extracelluar matrix in bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the influence of compound Biejia Ruangan Prescription (CBRP) on extracelluar matrix in bleomycin induced pulmonary fibrosis rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>54 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 6 groups (9 rats in each group). Rats in the model control group, positive medicine group, and high, moderate and low CBRP groups were injected with bleomycin A5 by trachea, and rats in sham-model control group with same volume normal saline. 29 days after the injection, CBRP solution of different dosages (1.4 g x kg(-1), 0.7 g x kg(-1), 0.35 g x kg(-1)) was respectively given to rats in the high, moderate and low CBRP group by gavage, while equal volume of normal saline was given to those in the sham-model control group and model control group, and an equal volume of prednisone (0.56 mg x kg(-1)) was given to those in positive medicine control group. On the 80th day, the levels of III-collagen, IV-collagen, laminin and hyaluronic acid in the serum were determined, the determination of hydroxyproline in lung homogenates was analyzed, and the right lung was incised to make pathological sections which were stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin (HE) and Masson staining for pathological diagnosis.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>CBRP could decrease the levels of III-collagen, IV-collagen, laminin and hyaluronic acid in the serum.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>CBRP may play its therapeutic role by leveling down the content of extracellular matrix in rats with pulmonary fibrosis induced by Bleomycin A5.</p>

Effects of soy extract on lipid metabolism in ovariectomized rats / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study effects of soy extract on lipid metabolims in ovariectomized rats.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>90 Wistar rats were randomly divided into 9 groups: control group, sham group, model group, estrogen group, soy isoflavone group of high dose, soy isoflavone group of low dose, soy extract of high dose, soy extract of low dose, and soy polysaccharde group, 10 rats in each group. Except fer of control and sham groups, the test rats were ovariectomized. One week after operation, the rats were treated with different drugs. Six weeks after operation, the rats were killed, with serum and liver taken, and serumglycerol(sGT), cholesterol(sGC), LDL, HDL and liver homogenate hGT, hGC, measured.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>The level of sGC, LDL in ovariectmized rats increased significantly, compared with that in control and sham groups. In liver both the level of hGT and hGC were higher than that in liver from control and sham groups. Administration of estrogen or soy extract or soy isoflavone could attenuate these in ovariectomized rats, but soy polysacchardes did not have any effects.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Ovariectomized rats have an imbalance of lipid metabolism, the level of hGT and hGC were increased, and administration of estrogen, soy extracts or soy isoflavone could decrease these changes induced by ovariectomizing.</p>