This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Cheongawongagam (Eucommia ulmoides, Juglandis semen, Acanthopanax senticosus and Zingiber officinale complex extracts) on osteoporosis in a model of the ovariectomized rat model.
A total of 35 rats were divided into seven groups; Normal control(SD-Nr), experimental control group(OVX-CTL), positive control group(OVX-17β-E2) and herb extracts group[Eucommia ulmoides(OVX-EU-E), Juglandis semen(OVX-JR-SE), Acanthopanax senticosus(OVX-AS-E) extract and Cheongawongagam extracts(OVX-JAEG-E)]. Experimental control group, positive control group and herb extracts group were ovariectomized.
After the 3 weeks recovery period, herb extract group were orally administered 200 mg / kg of the Eucommia ulmoides(EU-E), Juglandis semen(JR-SE), Acanthopanax senticosus(AS-E) alone and Cheongawongagam extracts(JAEG-E) for 12 weeks. In the experimental control group, 17β-estradiol(E2) was administered subcutaneously on the back of the rats at a dose of 0.03 ug/sc.
The rats were sacrificed and their body weight, diet efficiency, blood white blood cell (WBC) count, serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), calcium (Ca), estradiol, osteocalcin, deoxypyridinoline (DPD) concentration were measured. Also, we investigated mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokine, gelatinase A, B, and bone tissue.
There were no significant differences in body weight and dietary efficiency between the groups. AST and ALT changes in blood did not show any toxicity in all groups. The blood WBC count and serum Ca concentration were significantly decreased in all herb extract groups compared to OVX-CTL. Triglyceride was significantly decreased in the OVX-AS-E group and total cholesterol was significantly decreased in the OVX-AS-E and OVX-JAEG-E group. ALP was significantly increased and osteocalcin, DPD was significantly decreased in OVX-JAEG-E group compared to OVX-CTL. The expression of inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, LTB4, COX-2, NOS-2), inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and MMP-9 mRNA were significantly decreased in OVX-JAEG-E group. Histologic examination of the femur showed that bone mineral density, and bone mass were increased and bone marrow were decreased in the OVX-JAEG-E group.
Long-term oral administration of EU-E, JR-SE, AS-E extract and JAEG-E extracts showed no hepatotoxicity. Especially, Cheongawongagam extract were effective in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis by showing significant results in bone metabolism index, bone related inflammatory factors and increasing bone mass and bone mineral density