Ethyl acetate fraction from Passiflora foetida promotes rat femoral fracture healing by the BMP-2 signaling pathway

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the effect of ethyl acetate fraction (EAF) from Passiflora foetida on bone regeneration following bone and marrow injury. Materials and methods: EAF was administered for two weeks at 50, 100 and 200mg/kg doses orally to adult female Sprague-Dawley rats having a drill-hole injury in femur. Analysis of calcein labelling, BMD, micro-architectural parameters, tissue morphology at the drill-hole site, and serum level of bone turnover markers, mineralized nodule formation, expression of osteogenic genes and localization of BMP-2 protein was performed. Results: EAF dose-dependently accelerated bone regeneration mainly by increasing BMD at the fracture site, serum levels of PINP, OCN, and also mineralized nodule formation in BMCs. In addition, EAF also enhanced microarchitecture of the regenerating bone evident from increased bone volume fraction, trabecular thickness, trabecular number, connective density and decreased trabecular separation and degree of anisotropy. The mechanism studies, EAF accelerated fracture healing in rats by the recruitment of osteoblasts through up-regulation of the BMP-2 signaling pathway at the fracture site. Conclusion: EAF accelerated fracture healing in rats by the recruitment of osteoblasts through upregulation of the BMP-2 signaling pathway at the fracture site, therefore could be taken as an alternative therapy for fracture healing.