Effect of pilose antler compound extraction on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats

Objective To explore the effect of pilose antler compound extraction on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis(GIO).Methods Seventy-nine Wistar rats were divided randomly into four groups:normal group,model group,pilose antler compound extraction group,and Gushukang group.Rat GIO model was established by intramuscular injection of dexamethasone at the dose of 2.5 mg/kg,two times a week for 9 weeks and the rats in pilose antler compound extraction group and Gushukang group were administered with pilose antler compound extraction at the dose of 0.439 g/kg and Gushukang granule at the dose of 2.1 g/kg,respectively,at the same time by gavage,and 10 ml/kg normal saline was administered to the rats of model and control group.After the 9 weeks' treatment,the bone density of femur of all the rats was measured with dual energy X-ray bone density instrument;the concentration of serum high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)was detected with automatic biochemistry analyzer and the expressions of adipocyte fatty acid binding protein(A-FABP)and A-FABP mRNA in the femur with Western blot and real-time PCR method.Results The average bone mineral density(BMD)of the rats in normal group,model group,pilose antler compound extraction group,and Gushukang group were 0.116±0.009,0.108±0.006,0.115±0.009,and 0.111±0.006 g/cm²,and the average serum HDL-C were 0.503±0.013,0.352±0.017,0.496±0.023,and 0.383±0.015 mmo/L,respectively.Compared with those of the normal group,BMD and HDL-C content in model group were markedly reduced(P<0.01),while the expressions of A-FABP and A-FABP mRNA in model group were increased markedly(P<0.01).Compared with those of the model group,BMD and HDL-C content in pilose antler compound extraction group were markedly increased(P<0.01),while the expressions of A-FABP and A-FABP mRNA were markedly reduced(P<0.01),and the indicators of pilose antler compound extraction group were better than those of the Gushukang group.Conclusion Pilose antler compound extraction has intervention effect on GIO in rats and the effect may be related to the decrease of serum HDL-C and the increase of A-FABP expression in bone tissue.