Effect of Astragalus polysaccharides on ovariectomy-induced osteoporosis in mice. 2016

J Huo, and X Sun
Department of Pharmacy, Wuxi No. 2 People's Hospital, Wuxi, Jiangsu, China.

Postmenopausal osteoporosis, a common type of osteoporosis in women, has become a serious public health issue. Astragalus polysaccharides (APS), possessing various pharmacological activities, are the active ingredients of Radix Astragali. It can be advantageous in the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In the present study, we evaluated the potential therapeutic effects of APS on postmenopausal osteoporosis by using a mice model induced by ovariectomy (OVX). Forty-eight female 6-week-old outbred ICR mice were randomly divided into six groups (N = 8): Sham group, OVX group, 17 β-estradiol (E2, 0.1 mg/kg)-treated OVX group, and APS (at three doses: 100, 200, and 400 mg/kg)-treated OVX groups. The effect of APS on the bone mineral density (BMD) was determined using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. The serum levels of receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), osteoprotegerin (OPG), osteocalcin, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were measured using ELISA kits. The results revealed that APS exerted significant anti-osteoporotic activity by increasing the BMD considerably in a dose-dependent manner. APS treatment reduced the serum RANKL levels considerably and increased the serum OPG levels, thereby lowering the ratio of RANKL/OPG. Furthermore, APS also markedly reduced osteocalcin and TNF-α concentration in OVX-induced postmenopausal osteoporosis mice model. These results showed that APS exerts a protective effect on bone loss in OVX mice. The molecular mechanism underlying this effect be the reduction of bone resorption and inhibition of osteoclastogenesis. Our findings suggest that APS may be a potential strategy for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D010052 Ovariectomy The surgical removal of one or both ovaries. Castration, Female,Oophorectomy,Bilateral Ovariectomy,Bilateral Ovariectomies,Castrations, Female,Female Castration,Female Castrations,Oophorectomies,Ovariectomies,Ovariectomies, Bilateral,Ovariectomy, Bilateral
D011134 Polysaccharides Long chain polymeric CARBOHYDRATES composed of MONOSACCHARIDES linked by glycosidic bonds. Glycan,Glycans,Polysaccharide
D011897 Random Allocation A process involving chance used in therapeutic trials or other research endeavor for allocating experimental subjects, human or animal, between treatment and control groups, or among treatment groups. It may also apply to experiments on inanimate objects. Randomization,Allocation, Random
D004195 Disease Models, Animal Naturally-occurring or experimentally-induced animal diseases with pathological processes analogous to human diseases. Animal Disease Model,Animal Disease Models,Disease Model, Animal
D004305 Dose-Response Relationship, Drug The relationship between the dose of an administered drug and the response of the organism to the drug. Dose Response Relationship, Drug,Dose-Response Relationships, Drug,Drug Dose-Response Relationship,Drug Dose-Response Relationships,Relationship, Drug Dose-Response,Relationships, Drug Dose-Response
D004365 Drugs, Chinese Herbal Chinese herbal or plant extracts which are used as drugs to treat diseases or promote general well-being. The concept does not include synthesized compounds manufactured in China. Chinese Herbal Drugs,Plant Extracts, Chinese,Chinese Drugs, Plant,Chinese Plant Extracts,Extracts, Chinese Plant,Herbal Drugs, Chinese
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D015398 Signal Transduction The intracellular transfer of information (biological activation/inhibition) through a signal pathway. In each signal transduction system, an activation/inhibition signal from a biologically active molecule (hormone, neurotransmitter) is mediated via the coupling of a receptor/enzyme to a second messenger system or to an ion channel. Signal transduction plays an important role in activating cellular functions, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. Examples of signal transduction systems are the GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID-postsynaptic receptor-calcium ion channel system, the receptor-mediated T-cell activation pathway, and the receptor-mediated activation of phospholipases. Those coupled to membrane depolarization or intracellular release of calcium include the receptor-mediated activation of cytotoxic functions in granulocytes and the synaptic potentiation of protein kinase activation. Some signal transduction pathways may be part of larger signal transduction pathways; for example, protein kinase activation is part of the platelet activation signal pathway. Cell Signaling,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Pathways,Receptor Mediated Signal Transduction,Signal Transduction Pathways,Signal Transduction Systems,Pathway, Signal,Pathway, Signal Transduction,Pathways, Signal,Pathways, Signal Transduction,Receptor-Mediated Signal Transductions,Signal Pathway,Signal Transduction Pathway,Signal Transduction System,Signal Transduction, Receptor-Mediated,Signal Transductions,Signal Transductions, Receptor-Mediated,System, Signal Transduction,Systems, Signal Transduction,Transduction, Signal,Transductions, Signal

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