Effects of epimedium total flavonoids on bone mineral density and bone metabolism-related indices in primary osteoporosis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Previous animal experiments have shown that epimedium total flavonoids can exhibit preventive effects on estrogen-related bone loss, but few data are available in clinical research.OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of pimedium total flavonoids on bone mineral density (BMD) inprimary osteoporosis.DESIGN, TIME AND SETTING: A randomized, double-blinded, positively controlled clinical observation was performed at the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology between June 2005 and September 2007.PARTICIPANTS: A total of 64 patients with primary osteoporosis consisting of 11 males and 53 females were included in this study. METHODS: All patients were randomly and evenly assigned into a treatment group and a control group. The treatment group was orally administered epimedium total flavonoids, 0.45 g once, three times daily, for a total of 6 months. Simultaneously, the control group was orally administered Gushukang, 10 g once, twice daily, for a total of 6 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: BMD in the sites of lumbar vertebrae (L1-4), neck of femur, Wards triangle, greater trochanter, and left hip was measured, and simultaneously serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were detected pdor to and after treatment in each group.RESULTS: All 64 patients with primary osteoporosis were included In the final analysis, The BMD in the lumbar vertebrae (L1-4) was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (P<0.05) and there was no significant difference In BMD in other sites between the two groups (P>0.05). Compared with pdor to drug application, BMD in the treatment group did not present obvious change after epimedium total flavonoids application, while in the control group, BMD in the sites of lumbar vertebrae (L1-4), neck of femur, Wards triangle, and greater trochanter was significantly decreased (P<0.01-0.05). After drug application, serum level of calcium was significantly increased in each group, compared with prior to drug application (P<0.05), and no significant difference existed between the treatment and control groups (P>0.05). Tn the treatment group, serum levels of phosphorus and ALP did not alter significantly compared with prior to epimedium total flavonoids application (P>0.05).CONCLUSION: Epimedium total flavonoids exhibit effective effects on the maintenance of BMD in primary osteoporosis.