Effect of a Chinese herbal prescription on collagen I in rat's femur under simulated weightlessness / 中国骨伤

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of a Chinese herbal prescription on collagen I in rat's femur under simulated weightlessness.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty Wistar rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: blank control group (10 rats), tail suspension group (TS, 10 rats), TS with Chinese medicine group (10 rats). Rats in TS with Chinese medicine group took a Chinese herbal prescription (contains Radix Rehmanniae Praeparata, Radix Achyranthis Bidentatae, Radix Astragali, Radix Angelicae Sinensis, Concha Ostreae prepared by acetic acid)by oral administration. After 1 week adaption and 3 weeks tail suspending, rat's left femur was colleced, and collagen I in femur neck was detected by immunohistochemical method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Counts and integral optical density (IOD) of collagen I coloration decreased significantly in TS group (P < 0.001), but no significant change in TS with Chinese medicine group (P > 0.05), as compared with control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Generation of collagen I become weaken under simulated weightlessness, while the Chinese herbal prescription is effective to prevent the change, thus biochemistry environment of bone calcium deposition may be improved by this Chinese herbal prescription under simulated weightlessness.</p>