ABSTRACT
Aim To investigate the skeletal effects of ginseng flower bud(GF)on osteopenia induced by D-galactose using histomorphometry and biomechanical properties.Methods Fifty three-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups.Rats in NS group(NS)were treated with NS(5 mL·kg-1·d-1)by subcutaneous injection and daily oral gavage with vehicle as control.Rats in the other four groups were given D-galactose at the dose of 100 mg·kg-1·d-1 by subcutaneous injection.Solvent control was performed between NS and DG: gastric irrigation with distilled water of 10 mL·kg-1·d-1.Other groups were: CP was gastric irrigated with integrated medicine(stanozolol 0.54 mg·kg-1·d-1+piracetam 432 mg·kg-1·d-1),GF(L)with ginseng flower bud of 0.486 g·kg-1·d-1 and GF(H)with ginseng flower bud of 2.43 g·kg-1·d-1 for 14 weeks.The longitudinal proximal tibial metaphyseal(PTM),the fifth lumbar vertebral body(LVB)and tibial shaft(Tx)sections were performed undecalcifiedly and used for bone histomorphometric analysis.858 Mini Bionix materials testing system was used to analyze the biomechanic properties of right femur via three-point bending test.The left femur was dried and assimilated,whose bone calcium(Ca),phosphate(P)content and bone hydroxyproline content were tested.Results Compared with D-glagatose group,in PTM of D-galactose treated rats,the％Tb.Ar was increased both in GF(L)and GF(H)treated groups.While the Tb.Sp was decreased.％Oc.S.Pm and Oc.N/mm decreased in GF(L),and those in GF(H)were decreased as well.In Tx,％Ct.Ar was raised,while％Ma.Ar was decreased in GF(L)and GF(H).The elastic load of femur was increased.Conclusions Compared with DG group,there are significant differences in bone histomorphometry of Tx and PTM in all doses of GF,but no significant changes are detected in hydroxyproline,Ca,and P content of femur.