The Anti-osteoporotic Effect of Aqueous Extracts of Gastrodiae Rhizoma In Vitro and In Vivo

Abstract

The anti-osteoporotic effects of aqueous extracts of Gastrodiae Rhizoma (GR) were observed in vitro and in vivo. The effects on proliferation and alkaline phosphatase activity of primary osteoblasts, bone nodule formation, pit formation of osteoclasts and osteoclastogenesis were observed in vitro, and to observe the in vivo efficacy GR were orally administered once a day for 28 days to bilateral ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis mice at 125, 250 and 500 mg/kg. GR extracts enhanced the proliferation, differentiation, and bone nodule formation of primary cultured osteoblasts, but they inhibited the pit formation and the number of multinucleated osteoclast-like cells, osteoclastogenesis in vitro. As results of ovariectomy-induced osteoporotic process, dramatical decreases of bone weights and thickness of bone at epiphyseal regions, bone Ca and P contents, bone mineral density and failure load, serum Ca and P levels with increase of serum osteocalcin level. At histopathology-histomorphometry, dramatical decreases of trabecular and cortical bone masses were detected with classic histomorphometrical changes of bones including decrease of trabecular bone volume, thickness, length and number and cortical bone thickness and increase of osteoclast/bone perimeter. Hoevere, these estrogen-deficient osteoporotic changes were also dramatically and dose-dependently inhibited by treatment of all three different dosages of GR extracts. It was concluded that GR extracts has relatively good favorable effect to prevention and/or treatment of ovariectomy (OVX)-induced osteoporosis through osteoblast activation and inhibition of osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activity.