Objective: To study the effects of Chinese medicine compound on bone metabolism of weightlessness rats simulated by tail suspension.
Method: Fifty Wistar rats were divided into 5 groups randomly: control group, model group, and low does, medium dose and high does treated group. The experiment period lasted 21 days. After the Chinese compound prescription and distilled water were orally given to treated groups, and control and model group for 7 days, respectively, the tail suspension experiment was performed for treated and model group, meanwhile administration of Chinese compound prescription and distilled water still lasted until the end of the experiment. Blood serum was collected for determination of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), bone gla protein (BGP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), femoral bone HOP. The changes of bone mineral density (BMD) of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were observe.
Result: Compared with control group, the ALP level of model group was markedly decreased (P < 0.05), no change of BGP, TRAP was not observed, the BMD of femoral bone and lumbar vertebra were decreased remarkably (P < 0.05), Compared with model group, the change of ALP level of treated groups was not significant for all treated groups, the BGP level and BMD for medium dose group were increased (P < 0.05), the TRAP level for medium dose and high does groups was decreased (P < 0.05)
Conclusion: The Chinese compound prescription can improve the bone formation and prevent bone loss via inhibiting bone absorption and improving ossify, bone mineral deposition and mineralization as well as increasing BMD, which leads to prevention and treatment of bone loss.