Abstract
BackgroundYukmijihwangtang (YJT) is a traditional Korean medicine that has been used to treat kidney-yin deficiency symptoms such as dizziness and tinnitus. In addition, because it is also thought to nourish kidney-yin, it has been used to treat short stature from congenital deficiency. This study evaluated the effects of YJT on longitudinal bone growth in rats.MethodsFemale adolescent rats were randomly assigned to groups that received distilled water (per os [p.o.] twice a day; control), recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH; 20 μg/kg, subcutaneous [s.c.] once a day), or two different doses of YJT (100 or 300 mg/kg, p.o. twice a day). In each group, treatment was maintained for 4 days. Rats were injected intraperitoneally with 5-bromo-2’-deoxyuridine (BrdU; 50 mg/kg) to label proliferating chondrocytes on days 2 – 4. Tetracycline hydrochloride (20 mg/kg) was injected intraperitoneally to form fluorescent bands on the growth plates on day 3 for measuring the longitudinal bone growth rate. Expression of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) in the growth plate was identified using immunohistochemistry.ResultsThere was a significant increase in the rate of bone growth in the 300 mg/kg YJT group (523.8 ± 23.7 μm/day; P < 0.05) compared to the control group (498.0 ± 23.8 μm/day), while the 100 mg/kg YJT group exhibited a non-significant increase. The number of BrdU-positive cells in the chondrocytes of the rhGH-treated group exhibited a significant increase (103.8 ± 34.2 cells/mm2) compared to that of the control group (70.3 ± 19.7 cells/mm2), while the 300 mg/kg YJT group had a non-significant increase. Additionally, IGF-1 and BMP-2 were highly expressed in the growth plate in the 300 mg/kg YJT and rhGH groups.ConclusionsYJT increased the longitudinal bone growth rate by stimulating chondrocyte proliferation with increasing increments of local IGF-1 and BMP-2 expression. Based on these findings, YJT may be a therapeutic candidate for the treatment of growth retardation during adolescence.
Highlights
Yukmijihwangtang (YJT) is a traditional Korean medicine that has been used to treat kidney-yin deficiency symptoms such as dizziness and tinnitus
There was a significant acceleration of longitudinal bone growth in the 300 mg/kg YJT and recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) groups compared to the control group (Table 2, Fig. 3)
There was no significant difference in the rate of bone growth between the 100 mg/kg YJT group and the control group
Summary
Yukmijihwangtang (YJT) is a traditional Korean medicine that has been used to treat kidney-yin deficiency symptoms such as dizziness and tinnitus. This study evaluated the effects of YJT on longitudinal bone growth in rats. YJT has previously been prescribed to treat cancer, dementia, diabetes, hypertension, menopausal syndromes, Cho et al BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine (2017) 17:239 thirst and liquid intake, red tongue with less coating, and rapid pulse [1]. Previous experimental studies have shown that YJT enhances immune function by regulating the secretion of neurotransmitters and hormones associated with the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis [2], as well as strengthening bone by stimulating the remodeling process [3]. A previous clinical study found that YJT effectively improves hyperglycemia and renal function, while adverse events from the treatment were infrequent or mild [9]
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