Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Effect of Dihuang rougui decoction on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats

Ming-chang Du, Bo Wu, Xu Ma, Ye Liu , Liang-quan Zhai, Xun Fu, Zheng-bo Yang

Department of Joint Surgery, Orthopedic Hospital of Shenyang, Shenyang 110000, Liaoning Province, PR China;

For correspondence:- Ye Liu Email: liuye5728@126.com Tel:+862431390882

Accepted: 19 February 2018 Published: 31 March 2018

Citation: Du M, Wu B, Ma X, Liu Y, Zhai L, Fu X, et al. Effect of Dihuang rougui decoction on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats. Trop J Pharm Res 2018; 17(3):423-427 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v17i3.6

© 2018 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Dihuang Rougui Decoction (DRD) on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in rats.

Methods: Female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a normal group (control) and five ovariectomy (OVX) subgroups: OVX with vehicle (OVX), OVX with positive control drug (alendronate sodium tablets, 1.6 mg/kg/week), and OVX + DRD (75, 150 or 300 mg/kg/day). After the rats were subjected to ovariectomy for 4 weeks, fosamax or DRD were administered daily (orally) for 16 weeks. The bone mineral density (BMD) of the L4 vertebrae and right femurs of the rats was evaluated. Serum hormones estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels and serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteocalcin (OC) and telopeptides of collagen type I (CTx) levels of the rats were determined. The bone tissue morphology of the rats was examined by microscopy.

Results: The results show that DRD dose-dependently inhibited bone mineral density (BMD) reduction of L4 vertebrae and femurs (both p < 0.05). DRD significantly increased serum E2, FSH and LH levels (p < 0.05) in the osteoporotic rats, and significantly lowered serum ALP, CTx and OC concentrations, compared to OVX group (p < 0.01). Compared with OVX model group, bone trabeculae in all three DRD groups and nilestriol groups were wider, and the space and connections markedly increased. Furthermore, the medullary cavity reduced in size.

Conclusion: These findings indicate that DRD mitigates OVX-induced osteoporosis in rats, and thus, the decoction has a potential for clinical management of osteoporosis patients

Keywords: Dihuang Rougui decoction, Osteoporosis, Ovariectomy, Bone mineral density, Serum bone marker, Bone tissue morphology