Anti-osteoporosis activity of Astragalus membranaceus Bunge extract in experimental rats

作者：Li, Hongbo; Nie, Daqing; Wang, Chengwu^*; Fang, Jiaming; Li, Da

来源：Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research, 2016, 15(9): 1897-1901.

DOI：10.4314/tjpr.v15i9.12

• Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge
• Osteoporosis
• Ovariectomy
• Bone mineral density

Purpose: To investigate the anti-osteoporosis effect of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge. extract (AMBE) in experimental rats.
Method: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: control group, ovariectomy (OVX) with vehicle group, OVX with 17 beta-estradiol (E2, 25 mu g/kg/day) group, and OVX with AMBE doses (60, 120 and 240 mg/kg/day) groups. Daily oral administration of AMBE or E2 was started 4 weeks after OVX and lasted for 16 weeks. The bone mineral density (BMD) of L4 vertebrae and right femurs was evaluated. The length of each femur was measured with a micrometer, and the center of diaphysis was determined. Three representative L4 vertebrae were selected to evaluate trabecular microarchitecture. Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), urinary calcium (U-Ca), urinary phosphorus (UP), urinary creatinine (Cr) and osteocalcin (OC) levels were measured.
Results: AMBE dose-dependently inhibited the bone mineral density (BMD) reduction of L4 vertebrae (0.27 +/- 0.03 g/cm(2), p < 0.05) and femurs (0.23 +/- 0.03 g/cm(2), p < 0.05) caused by OVX and prevented the deterioration of trabecular microarchitecture (p < 0.05), which were accompanied by a significant decrease in skeletal remodeling (p < 0.05) as evidenced by the lower levels of bone turnover markers. A higher dosage of AMBE treatment (240 mg/kg/day) increased U-Ca/Cr (0.27 +/- 0.03 mmol/mmol), ALP (137.23 +/- 16.72 U/L), U-P/Cr (4.18 +/- 0.27 mmol/mmol) and OC (8.47 +/- 0.26 mmol/L) levels (both p < 0.05).
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that AMBE prevents OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats.

• 出版日期2016-9
• 单位长春中医药大学