目的:研究补肾中药复方(鹿茸、牡蛎、淫羊藿)对去卵巢骨质疏松症大鼠的影响,探讨肾虚骨质疏松症的病理机制,为中医药防治骨质疏松症提供实验依据。方法采用摘除雌性大鼠双侧卵巢的方法复制骨质疏松症模型,以正常组作为标准对照,模型组作为空白对照,盖天力组作为阳性对照,补肾中药复方低、中、高剂量组作为实验组。各用药组灌胃给药12周。采用腹主动脉取血法采集大鼠血清测定血骨钙素(BGP)和抗酒石酸酸性磷酸酶(TRACP),并用DEXA骨密度仪检测左侧股骨骨密度;右侧股骨匀浆提取骨组织中的TotalRNA,RT-RealTimePCR,检测MEK1及ERK2的mRNA表达水平。结果模型组BGP水平显著低于正常组(P<0.01),TRAP水平较正常组显著升高(P<0.01);正常组和补肾中药复方组的股骨骨密度均高于模型组(P<0.05);ERK2mRNA相对表达量明显高于模型组(P<0.01),MEK1mRNA相对表达量明显低于模型组(P<0.01)。结论补肾中药复方具有防治去卵巢大鼠骨质疏松的作用,其机制与调控MEK1、ERK2基因表达有关。
Objective To investigate the effect of the kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine ( velvet, oysters, and epimedium) on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats, and to explore the pathogenesis of osteoporosis with kidney-deficiency, in order to provide experimental evidence for Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods The osteoporosis model was established using bilateral ovariectomy in female rats.The normal control group was set as a standard control.The model group was set as blank control.The Gaitianli group was set as a positive control.The low, medium, and high dose of traditional Chinese medicine for kidney-tonifying groups were set as experimental groups.Rats in each treatment group were gavaged for 12 weeks.Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta, and the serum levels of osteocalcin ( BGP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase ( TRACP) were detected.The bone mineral density ( BMD) of the left femur was detected using DEXA. The total RNA of the right femur bone tissue homogenate was extracted and the mRNA expression levels of MEK1 and ERK2 were detected using RT-real time PCR.Results The serum BGP level in model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group (P〈0.01), while the serum TRAP level increased significantly compared with that in the normal group (P〈0.01).BMD of the femur in the normal group and the kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine group was significantly higher than that in the model group (P〈0.05).The relative expression level of ERK2 mRNA was significantly higher than that in the model group (P〈0.01), while the relative expression level of MEK1 mRNA was significantly lower than that in the model group (P 〈0.01). Conclusion The kidney-tonifying traditional Chinese medicine plays a role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats.Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of MEK1 and ERK2 gene expression.