ABSTRACT
The effects of Chinese herbal medicines including Hachimi-jio-gan (HJG) and/or Hochu-ekki-to (HEW) on osteopenia in rats were investigated. The Chinese herbal medicines were administrated for 8 weeks (7 times/week) starting from 1 week after ovariectomy. HJG and Prescription-2 (Prsc-2, the prescription based on HJG) showed protective effect on bone loss of the vertebrae after ovariectomy. However, Prescription-1 (the prescription based on HJG and HET) had no effect. Then, we made osteopenia model in rats by prednisolone and low calcium diet. Prsc-2 and HJG were administrated for 20 weeks with prednisolone. These Chinese remedies showed protective effects for osteopenia, with better indices on bone loss of the limbs than HJG alone in the osteopenia rats. It can be concluded that Prsc-2 is more effective than HJG for bone loss induced by various factors, and the additives in Prsc-2 may enhance the therapeutic effect.
Subject(s)
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Osteoporosis/drug therapy , Phytotherapy , Animals , Female , Osteoporosis/chemically induced , Ovariectomy , Prednisolone , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
In the adenine-induced renal failure rats, reversibility of renal failure and recovery of bone mineral density (BMD) by discontinuation of adenine-rich diet were reported. We think that the effect to bone metabolism with medication may be able to be evaluated as reinforcement of the BMD recovery. We have so far investigated the Chinese herbal medicine based on Hachimi-jio-gan (HJG) which are more effective than HJG alone. In this study, we investigated the effects of our Chinese herbal prescription on BMD in the adenine-treated rats compared to that of vitamin D3 treatment. Young male rats were administrated 100 mg/ml adenine for 8 weeks, and they showed renal failure and bone loss. The adenine-treated rats were divided into the following 3 groups, that is, the group experienced no treatment (control), the group given our Chinese herbal medicine (HAO), and the group given vitamin D3 (VD3) medication. It is likely that VD3 medication was less effective for increase of the femoral BMD than increase of the spinal BMD. In contrast, HAO was effective for increase of the femoral BMD. The VD3 group showed low deoxypyridinoline (Dpd: bone resorption maker) as compared to the control group. However, the HAO group showed same or slightly high Dpd. It is suggested that VD3 may increase BMD by reduction of bone resorption, while HAO may show effect on BMD by activating bone metabolism. It is indicated that HAO may become a curative medicine for bone loss because of the different target site from vitamin D3.
Subject(s)
Bone Density/drug effects , Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use , Osteoporosis/drug therapy , Phytotherapy , Adenine , Animals , Kidney Failure, Chronic/chemically induced , Male , Osteoporosis/chemically induced , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
Adenine is widely used in clinical field, however, an excess of adenine is harmful. It is known that the feeding of an adenine-rich diet induces renal failure and decreases bone mineral density (BMD) and the serum testosterone level in male rats. However, there is little information about the influence of adenine on female animals. We compared the effects of adenine treatment between male and female rats. Young male and female rats were administered adenine adjusted with distilled water (6 mg/ml, 50 mg/ml and 100 mg/ml) for 8 weeks (3 times/week, 8-16 week old). In male rats, renal failure was induced by 100 mg/ml adenine treatment and renal dysfunction was induced by 50 mg/ml adenine treatment. Bone loss and the reduction of the testosterone level were also caused by both concentrations of adenine. However, the serum testosterone level and BMD in male rats were decreased by 6 mg/ml adenine treatment by which renal dysfunction was not caused. It is suggested that adenine directly affected bone metabolism and sex steroidgenesis in male animals, not through altering renal dysfunction. In female rats, conversely, renal dysfunction was induced only in the 100 mg/ml group, which was somewhat different from the observation in male rats. The serum 17-beta estradiol level and the BMD in female rats were not affected by adenine treatment at all. In conclusion, there is a significant difference of the effects of adenine, which is commonly contained in medicine and general foods, on steroidgenesis and renal function between male and female rats.