Preventive effects of compound danshen on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats

Liyi ZOU; Tie WU; Liao CUI; Bilian XU

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

Long-term large dose application of glucocorticoid can cause osseous loss and even femoral head necrosis,which is one of the reasons of pharmaceutical damages. Researches on its intervention have practical significance.

OBJECTIVE:

To study the osteoporosis induced by long-term large dose administration of glucocorticoid, and investigate the preventive effects of compound danshen(CD) in male rats.

DESIGN:

A randomized and controlled study by employing experimental animals as subjects

SETTING:

An Experimental Animal Center, a Central Laboratory and an Institute of Pharmacology of a Medical College

PARTICIPANTS:

The study was conducted in the Experimental Animal Center, the Central Laboratory and the Institute of Pharmacology of Guangdong Medical College between 2002 and 2003. Totally 40 SD rats were employed.INTERVENTION SD rats were treated with prednisone(2.7 mg/kg per day) by oral gavages and CD including danshen huangqi , baishu and yinyanghuo at dose of 2.5 g/kg per day,5.0 g/kg per day or 10.0 g/kg per day respectively,once a day for 12 weeks. At the experimental endpoint,the impacts of long term large dose (beyond physiologic dose) application of glucocorticoid on bone metabolism and the preventive effects of CD were observed through the measurement of the static and dynamic indicators for bone growth in un-decalcified superior tibia,the detection of Ca2 + and hydroxyproline contents in ulna,and the length and width of thighbone.MAIN OUTCOME

MEASURES:

Principal consequences the impacts of CD on quantitative static and dynamic parameters of osseous morphology in rats with prednisone-induced osteoporosis; Secondary consequences the comparison of the impacts of CD on bone biochemical indictors and femoral physical indicators in rats with prednisone-induced osteoporosis.

RESULTS:

In glucocorticoid control group (GC group),bone mass significantly decreased(P<0. 01); as indicated by bone morphological indicators,the number of bone trabecula[(1.98±0.20) / mm]and the percentage of bone trabecular size [(8.83 ±0.98)%] significantly reduced; the ratio of osteogenesis rate at bone surface (8.91±3.97) /neogenesis bone trabacular size to total bone trabecular size(332. 8±142.5)/neogenesis bone trabecular size to bone size(29.6±13.2) significantly decreased; bone absorption perimeter significantly increased(P<0. 01); osseous content in ulna reduced[ (0. 155±0. 01) g]; and femoral length[ (32.64±0.51) mn]significantly shortened (P<0. 05) . But in CD group,CD had certain preventive effects on bone injury induced by prednisone while there was no significant difference among each subgroup with different dose.

CONCLUSION:

Long-term application of prednisone can significantly inhibit bone growth and induce bone loss. CD has favorablepreventive effects on bone loss through its promotion of osteogenesis and inhibition of osteoclast bone resorption.