Anabolic Effects of Bee Pollen Cistus ladaniferus Extract in Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cells In Vitro

Abstract

The effect of bee pollen extract on osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was investigated. The watersolubilized extracts, which were obtained from the bee pollen of Cistus ladaniferus ,w aspurified using the membrane fractionation method with molecular weight (MW) less than 1000. Osteoblastic cells were cultured for 72hr in a medium containing either vehicle or cistus extract of less than MW 1000 (10, 25, or 50µg/ml of medium) in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS). The proliferation of osteoblastic cells was significantly enhanced in the presence of cistus extract (25 or 50µg/ml). The stimulatory effect of cistus extract on cell proliferation was also observed when the cells with subconfluency were cultured for 24 or 72hr without FBS. Cells with subconfluency were cultured for 24 or 72hr in a medium containing either vehicle o rc istus extract without FBS. DNA content or alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cells was significantly increased after culturewithcistus extract (50µg/ml) for24hr. The effect of 25µg/ml of cistus extract o nt hesecomponents was seen after culture for 72hr. This study demonstrates that the cistus extract fraction of less than MW 1000 has anabolic effects in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells which involve in bone formation.