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Planta Med 2016; 82(04): 322-329
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1558294
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Beneficial Effects of a Flavonoid Fraction of Herba Epimedii on Bone Metabolism in Ovariectomized Rats

Bing-jie Zhao   *
1   Affiliated Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jing Wang   *
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jie Song
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Chun-fei Wang
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jun-fei Gu
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jia-rui Yuan
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Li Zhang
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Jun Jiang
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Liang Feng
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
,
Xiao-bin Jia
2   Key Laboratory of New Drug Delivery Systems of Chinese Materia Medica, Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Chinese Medicine, Jiangsu, Nanjing, P. R. China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 04 June 2015
revised 06 September 2015

accepted 20 October 2015

Publication Date:
29 January 2016 (online)

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Abstract

A flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii, including eight flavonoid glycoside compounds, epimedoside A, ikarisoside F, baohuoside II, sagittatoside A, sagittatoside B, 7-O-rhamnosyl icariside II, 2″-O-rhamnosyl icariside II, and baohuoside I, was isolated and prepared from the leaves of Herba Epimedii. This study was conducted to assess the potential effect of the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii on osteoporosis in ovariectomized rats. Rats received repeated administration of a vehicle (ovariectomized), the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii (7.5, 15, 30 mg/kg/d), and ipriflavone (200 mg/kg/d) once a day for 8 weeks, beginning 4 weeks after ovariectomization. Then, the bone turnover markers, bone biomechanical properties, trabecular architecture, and related protein expressions were evaluated by biochemical assay kits, mechanical testing, microcomputed tomography, immunohistochemical evaluation, and Western blot analysis. Treatment with the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii (15, 30 mg/kg/d) and ipriflavone (200 mg/kg/d) significantly increased bone strength while dramatically inhibiting the serum alkaline phosphatase and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase levels in ovariectomized rats. Furthermore, the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii also increased osteoprotegerin protein expression and reduced the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand protein expression compared with ovariectomized rats. In addition, the microcomputed tomography results showed that the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii treatment significantly improved trabecular bone mineral density and restored the bone microarchitecture in ovariectomized rats. Therefore, our results indicated that the flavonoid fraction of Herba Epimedii might be beneficial for improving postmenopausal osteoporosis and should be considered as a promising candidate for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis.

Key words

Herba Epimedii - Berberidaceae - flavonoid fraction - antiosteoporotic activity - ovariectomized rat

* Bing-jie Zhao and Jing Wang contributed equally to this work.


 

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