1. Antiosteoporotic activity of Saururus chinensis extract in ovariectomized rats.
- Author
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Sung MJ, Davaatseren M, Hur HJ, Kim HJ, Ryu SY, Choi YH, Cha MR, and Kwon DY
- Subjects
- Alendronate pharmacology, Alkaline Phosphatase blood, Amino Acids urine, Animals, Biomarkers chemistry, Body Weight, Bone Density drug effects, Cell Proliferation, Drug Evaluation, Preclinical, Female, Femur drug effects, Femur metabolism, Femur pathology, Organ Size, Osteocalcin blood, Osteoporosis chemically induced, Osteoporosis pathology, Plant Extracts pharmacology, Rats, Rats, Sprague-Dawley, Uterus drug effects, Uterus metabolism, Uterus pathology, X-Ray Microtomography methods, Bone Density Conservation Agents therapeutic use, Osteoporosis drug therapy, Ovariectomy, Phytotherapy, Saururaceae chemistry
- Abstract
Recent studies suggest that phytoestrogens may exert a protective effect against osteoporosis. This study examined whether treatment with phytoestrogen extracts from Saururus chinensis (SC) exerted a preventive effect on estrogen-deficiency-induced osteoporosis. Six- to seven-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into either a sham-operated group or one of three ovariectomy (OVX) subgroups: OVX treated with vehicle, OVX with alendronate, and OVX with SC extract (SC). Rats began receiving treatment 4 weeks before the OVX treatment and continued receiving treatment for an additional 10 weeks after OVX (for a combined total of 14 weeks). The results showed that the SC treatment prevented loss of femur bone mineral density after OVX, as determined by a significant decrease in the levels of serum bone turnover markers osteocalcin and alkaline phosphatase as well as urinary deoxypyridinoline. Micro-computed tomography analysis showed that the SC treatment significantly prevented decreases in bone volume/tissue volume, trabecular number and trabecular thickness, while also preventing an increase in trabecular separation. It was concluded that SC treatment could prevent OVX-induced loss of bone mass and deterioration in trabecular microarchitecture by suppressing bone turnover, thereby maintaining bone structural integrity. Further, no stimulation of proliferation of uterine tissue was noted. Therefore, it is suggested that treatment with S. chinensis extracts might be a potential alternative therapy for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis., (Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)
- Published
- 2012
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