Journal of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences

Epimedium Aqueous Extract Improves Osteoporosis and Regulates PPARgamma, GSK-3-Beta and Beta-Catenin Expression in Ovariectomized rats

Haibin He, Ling Ou, Zhidi Wu, Ronghua Zhan, Xiaofeng Zhu

Abstract


Context: Epimedium brevicornu Maxim., a Chinese herb, has long been used to treat osteoporosis. Its anti-osteoporosis effect may be related with the Wnt/Beta-catenin signaling pathway.

Objectives: To investigate the effects of aqueous extract of Epimedium in ovariectomized rats via regulating the Wnt/?-catenin signaling pathway in the treatment of osteoporosis.

Materials and methods: After ovariectomy, three-month-old female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats (n = 84) were randomly divided into six groups: Sham, ovariectomized (OVX), positive group (10 mg/kg/day alendronate sodium tablets), AE-Low, AE-Middle and AE-High group (0.11, 0.33 and 0.99 g/kg/day aqueous Epimedium extract respectively, based on the Epimedium clinical dose and the equivalent dose ratio of human-animal surface area). After 12 weeks treatment, bone mineral density (BMD), biomechanical testing, bone micro-architecture was observed, and serum osteocalcin (OCN), osteoprotegerin (OPG), mRNA and protein expression levels were measured.

Results: In comparison to OVX, treatment with AE had positive effects on BMD, trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and changes in serum markers of bone turnover as well as improved the maximum load. Moreover, the AE treatment group could significantly reverse the increase of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor ? (PPAR-Gamma) and glycogen synthase kinase 3Beta (GSK-3Beta) and the decrease of runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) and Beta-catenin mRNA expression due to ovariectomy.

Discussion and conclusions: AE was shown to exert anti-osteoporotic effect on ovariectomized rat through regulating the key proteins in the Wnt/Beta-catenin signaling pathway, which may provide a potential mechanism to study its role in further population research.


Keywords


Epimedium, Osteoporosis, Ovariectomy, Wnt/?-catenin signaling pathway.

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