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Planta Med 2004; 70(3): 220-226
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-815538
Original Paper
Pharmacology
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

In vivo Antiosteoporotic Activity of a Fraction of Dioscorea spongiosa and its Constituent, 22-O-Methylprotodioscin

Jun Yin1 , Yasuhiro Tezuka1 , Kyoji Kouda1 , Quan Le Tran1 , Tatsuro Miyahara2 , Yingjie Chen3 , Shigetoshi Kadota1
  • 1Institute of Natural Medicine, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan
  • 2Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Toyama, Japan
  • 3Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
Further Information

Publication History

Received: September 15, 2003

Accepted: November 22, 2003

Publication Date:
23 March 2004 (online)

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Abstract

The antiosteoporotic activity of the 90 % EtOH fraction of the water extract of rhizomes of Dioscorea spongiosa and methylprotodioscin, its major constituent, were examined in the model of postmenopausal bone loss using ovariectomized (OVX) rats or mice. After 6 weeks treatment, the proximal tibia of rats or mice and the distal femora of mice were scanned by peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT). Both the 90 % EtOH fraction (100 mg/kg/d) and methylprotodioscin (50 mg/kg/d) significantly inhibited bone loss in bone mineral content (BMC) and bone mineral density (BMD) in total, cancellous and cortical bones, and the decrease in bone strength indexes induced by OVX, without side effect on the uterus.

Abbreviations

OVX:ovariectomized

PQCT:peripheral quantitative computed tomography

EPT:estrogen replacement therapy

PTH:parathyroid hormone

E2:17β-estradiol

BMC:bone mineral content

BMD:bone mineral density

Peoi. C:periosteal circumstance

Endo. C.:endosteal circumstance

XSSI:X-axis strength index

YSSI:Y-axis strength index

PSSI:polar-axis strength index

PTM:proximal tibiae metaphyses

DFM:distal femoral metaphyses

NEH:high dose of 90 % EtOH fraction

NEL:low dose of 90 % EtOH fraction

MPH:high dose of methyl protodioscin

MPL:low dose of methyl protodioscin

Key words

Dioscorea spongiosa - Dioscoreaceae - methylprotodioscin - osteoporosis - pQCT

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Prof. Dr. Shigetoshi Kadota

Department of Natural Products Chemistry

Institute of Natural Medicine

Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University

2630 Sugitani

Toyama 930-0194

Japan

Phone: +81-76-434-7625

Fax: +81-76-434-5059

Email: kadota@ms.toyama-mpu.ac.jp