Betel leaf extract and its major component hydroxychavicol promote osteogenesis and alleviate glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats

Food Funct. 2021 Jul 21;12(14):6603-6625. doi: 10.1039/d0fo02619k. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Abstract

Piper betle leaves possess several ethnomedicinal properties and are immensely used in traditional medicinal practices in regions of Asian and African subcontinents. However, their effects in treating skeletal complications are least known. In this study, we evaluated cellular and molecular effects of betel leaf extract (BLE) and its major phytoconstituent, hydroxychavicol (HCV) in promoting osteogenesis in vitro and alleviating glucocorticoid induced osteoporosis (GIO) in vivo. Both BLE and HCV markedly stimulated osteoblast differentiation of C3H10T1/2 cells with increased expression of RUNX2 and osteopontin through the GSK-3β/β-catenin-signaling pathway. Also, oral administration of BLE and HCV in GIO rats resulted in restoration of bone mass and tissue microarchitecture. Thus, with our findings we conclude that BLE and HCV promote osteogenesis of C3H10T1/2 cells via the GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway and alleviate GIO in rats.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bone Density / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Line
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit / metabolism
  • Eugenol / analogs & derivatives*
  • Eugenol / pharmacology
  • Female
  • Glucocorticoids / adverse effects
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Osteoblasts / drug effects
  • Osteogenesis / drug effects*
  • Osteoporosis / drug therapy*
  • Osteoporosis / metabolism
  • Piper betle / chemistry*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 1 Subunit
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Plant Extracts
  • Runx2 protein, rat
  • beta Catenin
  • 2-hydroxychavicol
  • Eugenol
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta