Rosmarinic acid exerts an antiosteoporotic effect in the RANKL-induced mouse model of bone loss by promotion of osteoblastic differentiation and inhibition of osteoclastic differentiation.

SCOPE: Bone homeostasis is ensured by the balance between bone formation and resorption. Thus, control of the recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation of bone cells is essential to maintain bone mass. The aim of this study was to elucidate the effects of rosmarinic acid as a potential therapeutic agent on bone metabolism using bone cells and a mouse model. METHODS AND RESULTS: Rosmarinic acid increased alkaline phosphatase activity and induced mineralization in osteoblasts. Addition of rosmarinic acid to cultures of calvarial osteoblastic cells prepared from T-cell factor/ß-catenin TOP-GAL mutant mice strongly induced the expression of LacZ and promoted stabilization of ß-catenin in the cytoplasm of ST2 cells, suggesting that rosmarinic acid affects the canonical Wnt signaling pathway. Moreover, rosmarinic acid inhibited not only osteoclast formation in cocultures of mouse bone marrow cells and osteoblasts, but also receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclastic differentiation in bone marrow-derived macrophages. RANKL-induced p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the expression of nuclear factor of activated T cell, c-Jun, and c-Fos were inhibited by rosmarinic acid in bone marrow macrophages. Finally, we confirmed that rosmarinic acid improved bone mass in a soluble RANKL-induced bone loss mouse model. CONCLUSION: Rosmarinic acid has dual regulatory effects on bone metabolism and may control the bone functions by controlling osteoblastic and osteoclastic differentiation.

Comparative study of the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of six essential oils and their components.

The antioxidant activities and the determined major components of six popular and commercially available herb essential oils, including lavender (Lavendular angustifolia), peppermint (Mentha piperita), rosemary (Rosmarius officinalis), lemon (Citrus limon), grapefruit (Citrus paradise), and frankincense (Boswellia carteri), were compared. The essential oils were analysed by GC-MS and their antioxidant activities were determined by testing free radical-scavenging capacity and lipid peroxidation in the linoleic acid system. The major components of the essential oils of lavender, peppermint, rosemary, lemon, grapefruit, and frankincense were linalyl acetate (28.2%), menthol (33.4%), 1,8-cineole (46.1%), limonene (64.5 and 94.2%), and p-menth-2-en-ol (34.5%), respectively. The highest DPPH radical-scavenging activity was obtained by the lavender essential oil and limonene, with RC50 values of 2.1 +/- 0.23% and 2.1 +/- 0.04%, respectively. Radical-scavenging activity against the ABTS radical was highest in peppermint essential oil (1.6 +/- 0.09). Lavender oil was most effective for inhibiting linoleic acid peroxidation after 10 days.

Radical Scavenging Activity of the Essential Oil of Silver Fir (Abies alba).

The essential oil of silver fir (Abies alba) is known to help respiratory system and have easing and soothing effect for muscle. In the present study, we investigated the chemical composition, cytotoxicity and its biological activities of silver fir (Abies alba) essential oil. The composition of the oil was analyzed by GC-MS and bornyl acetate (30.31%), camphene (19.81%), 3-carene (13.85%), tricyclene (12.90%), dl-limonene (7.50%), alpha-pinene (2.87%), caryophyllene (2.18%), beta-phellandrene (2.13%), borneol (1.74%), bicyclo[2.2.1]hept-2-ene,2,3-dimethyl (1.64%) and alpha-terpinene (1.24%) were the major components in the oil. The results tested by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay indicated that the oil showed no cytotoxic effect, at concentrations of 1 and 5%, for as long as 24 and 3 h, respectively. The antiradical capacity was evaluated by measuring the scavenging activity of the essential oil on the 2,20-diphenylpicrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis 3-ethyl benzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) radicals. The oil was able to reduce the both radicals dose-dependently, and the concentration required for 50% reduction (RC(50)) against DPPH radicals (2.7 +/- 0.63%) was lower than ABTS radicals (8.5 +/- 0.27%). The antibacterial activity of the oil was also evaluated using disc diffusion method against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans, Listeria monocytogenes, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio parahaemolyticcus. The oil exhibited no antibacterial activity against all the bacterial strains tested except S. aureus of mild activity.

Bone-protecting effect of Rubus coreanus by dual regulation of osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

OBJECTIVE: Bone loss occurs with increasing age and/or as a secondary occurrence to chronic metabolic disease. Certain nutritional and pharmacological, as well as nonpharmacologic interventions such as weight-bearing exercise and muscle strengthening help prevent bone loss. We examined the effect of the methanol extract from the fruit of Rubus coreanus (RCM) on postmenopausal osteoporosis. DESIGN: Ovariectomized rats were assigned to sham (negative control), vehicle control, positive control, safflower seed 200 mg/kg, RCM 100 mg/kg (RCM 100), RCM 200 mg/kg (RCM 200), and RCM 400 mg/kg (RCM 400) groups for 10 weeks after the operation. Serum biochemistry, histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, and other related biomarkers of bone metabolism were investigated. RESULTS: We observed that RCM could prevent bone loss by increasing the femur trabecular bone area in a dose-dependent manner in ovariectomized rats. The mineral composition of RCM contains many more valuable elements, especially potassium, magnesium, and vitamins D and B2, than safflower seed. The effect of RCM increased not only osteoblast differentiation but also osteoclast apoptosis. In addition, the extract of RCM contained in quercetin suggests that the extract of RCM resulted in improved aging-related bone loss through an antioxidant effect. CONCLUSIONS: The present data provide the first direct in vivo evidence that RCM has a bone-protecting effect caused by estrogen deficiency, without undesirable side effects on the uterus and other solid organs. The beneficial effect of RCM may be mediated, at least in part, by dual regulation of the enhancement of osteoblast function and induction of osteoclast apoptosis.