Pharmacological Effect of EPF on Biomechanical Properties among Ovariectomized Rats / 世界科学技术-中医药现代化

ABSTRACT

This study was aimed to explore pharmacological effects of epimedium pubescen flavonoid (EPF) on biomechanical properties among ovariectomized rats. Sixty female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (aged 2-month-old) were randomly divided into six groups (n = 10), which were the sham control group (Group A), the model group (GroupB), the standard group (Group C), the treated 1 group (Group D), the treated 2 group (Group E), and the treated 3 group (Group F). Except the sham control group (Group A), rats in other groups had been ovariectomized. All rats were given the same feedstuff. Meanwhile, Group C was given calcium 75 mg·kg-1 combined with VitD3 21 IU·kg-1 by gastrogavage every day for 4 months; Group D was given EPF 75 mg·kg-1; Group E was given EPF 150 mg·kg-1;Group F was given EPF 300 mg·kg-1. At the end of the 4th month, all rats were sacrificed. Bones, which included tibia, femur and humerus of both sides and all lumbar vertebra bodies, had been taken out. Measurement was made on the elastic modulus, maximum loading capability, maximum stress, potential energy of deformation, and structural rigidity of biomechanical properties of the fourth lumbar vertebra body (LV4); the maximum loading capability, bone break load, potential energy of deformation, structural rigidity of the structural dynamics properties of the femur com-pact bone; the elastic modulus, maximum stress, maximum inherent strain, bone break stress, and bone break strain of the mechanical properties of a material of the femur compact bone in the experimental rats. The results showed that compared with Group B, the elastic modulus, maximum loading capability, maximum stress, potential energy of deformation, and structural rigidity of LV4; the maximum loading capability, bone break load, potential energy of de-formation, structural rigidity of the structural dynamics properties of the femur compact bone; the elastic modulus, maximum stress, maximum inherent strain, and bone break strain of the mechanical properties of a material of the fe-mur compact bone were obviously increased in Group A, D, E and F (P< 0.05). Group C had increasing tendency. There were no statistical differences among Group A, C, D, E and F. Group D, E, and F had increased with EPF dose-dependently. However, there were no statistical differences among them. There were no statistical differences on bone break strain of the mechanical properties of a material of the femur compact bone among Group A, C, D, E, and F. It showed that ovariectomization reduced the biomechanical properties of vertebra bodies, structural dynamics properties of the femur compact bone, and the mechanical properties of a material of the femur compact bone. The application of EPF can effectively prevent and treat the decreasing of biomechanical properties of ovariectomized rats, so as to keep them in a relatively higher level.