| Objective To evaluate the anti-osteoporosis effect of traditional Chinese medicine Taohong Siwu Decoction by the use of prednisone-induced zebrafish osteoporosis model. Methods We selected 3 dpf normal growth zebrafish embryos, established zebrafish osteoporosis models using prednisone treatment, which were then treated with different concentrations (50, 150 and 450 μg/mL) of lyophilized powder of traditional Chinese medicine compound Taohong Siwu Decoction. At the same time, the normal control group, the model control group and the positive control group were established. After 4 days, these zebrafish were dyed for 2 h by 0.2 % calcein, and then the fluorescence intensity of vertebrae of zebrafish were observed and calculated using stereo fluorescence microscope. Results Compared with the normal control group, prednisone-treated model group had significantly lower vertebral fluorescent density; compared with the model group, Etidronate Disodium of 300 μg/mL can increase the amount of vertebrae mineralization and effectively prevent osteoporosis induced by prednisone; compared with the model group, 450 μg/mL concentration of Taohong Siwu Decoction can significantly improve the zebrafish vertebral fluorescence intensity, while the effects of the two groups of Taohong Siwu Decoction solution at 50 μg/mL and 150 μg/mL concentration were not obvious. Conclusions The Compound Chinese medicine Taohong Siwu Decoction, with a maximum concentration of drug resistance MTC of 450 μg/mL on zebrafish, had obvious therapeutic effects on zebrafish osteoporosis model induced by prednisone. |