An aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris L. ameliorates cadmium-induced bone loss by promoting osteogenic differentiation in female rats

Lijun Mo; Linquan Chen; Yu Wan; Haibin Huang; Lifen Mo; Wei Zhu; Guangyu Yang; Ziyin Li; Qinzhi Wei; Jia Song; Xingfen Yang

doi:10.1016/j.fct.2023.114005

An aqueous extract of Prunella vulgaris L. ameliorates cadmium-induced bone loss by promoting osteogenic differentiation in female rats

Food Chem Toxicol. 2023 Oct:180:114005. doi: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114005. Epub 2023 Aug 26.

Authors

Lijun Mo¹, Linquan Chen¹, Yu Wan¹, Haibin Huang¹, Lifen Mo¹, Wei Zhu², Guangyu Yang², Ziyin Li³, Qinzhi Wei¹, Jia Song⁴, Xingfen Yang⁵

Affiliations

¹ Food Safety and Health Research Center, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, PR China.
² Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, 510440, PR China.
³ Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University (Dongguan People's Hospital), Dongguan, 523059, PR China.
⁴ Food Safety and Health Research Center, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, PR China. Electronic address: Jia_Song1991@126.com.
⁵ Food Safety and Health Research Center, NMPA Key Laboratory for Safety Evaluation of Cosmetics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, PR China. Electronic address: yangalice79@smu.edu.cn.

PMID: 37640280
DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2023.114005

Abstract

Cadmium (Cd) causes bone loss, concerning inhibiting osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). Prunella vulgaris L. (PV) has the potential for promoting osteogenic differentiation, but its influence on Cd-induced bone loss is unclear. This study investigated the effect of PV aqueous extract (PVE) on Cd-induced bone loss and its underlying mechanisms. Eight-week-old female SD rats were randomly assigned into four groups and treated for 16 weeks: Control, Cd (50 mg/L of Cd chloride), Cd + PV Low (125 mg/kg bw of PVE), and Cd + PV High (250 mg/kg bw of PVE). PV ameliorated femoral bone loss in Cd-treated rats manifested as increases in bone mineral density, bone volume, trabecular thickness, number, and area, and decreases in trabecular separation. Compared with Cd group, PV-treatment groups had higher serum levels of bone formation markers (ALP, BGP). Additionally, in PV-treatment groups, expressions of bone formation markers (Osterix, Runx2) and molecules involved in osteogenic differentiation signal pathway BMP/Smad (BMP4, Smad1/5/9) in the tibia of rats and isolated rat primary BMSCs were upregulated. These results suggest that PV alleviates Cd-induced bone loss by promoting osteogenic differentiation, which is likely associated with BMP/Smad pathway.

Keywords: BMP/Smad signal pathway; Bone loss; Cadmium; Osteogenic differentiation; Prunella vulgaris L.