Objective To investigate the effects of raloxifene combined with Xianlinggubao on bone microstructure and biomechanical property of osteoporotic rats, and to explore its mechanism of regulation of bone resorption and bone formation and its prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Methods Forty 6-month SD rats were randomly divided into normal group, sham operation group, model group, intervention group 1, and intervention group 2 after osteoporosis modeling. One week after model operation, the rats in intervention group 1 received oral raloxifene 6.2 mg / kg.d, and rats in the intervention group 2 received oral raloxifene 6.2 mg / kg.d plus Xianlinggubao 250 mg / kg.d. Rats in the normal group, the sham operation group, and the model group received water gavage. After 12 weeks, histopathological analysis and histomorphometry were performed. The deposition of collagen fibers was observed with van Gieson collagen fiber staining. The activity of serum proteoglycan activity was determined with ELISA. The right femur was separated for a three-point bending test to examine the biomechanical properties of the femur. Results The control group had thick trabecular bone and a complete osteoblastic area. The trabecular bone in the model group was sparse and thin, and the nucleus was pyknosis. Compared with the control group, the collagen fibers in the model group significantly decreased, the proteoglycan content significantly increased, and the maximum load (FM) decreased. The difference was statistically significant (both P<0.05). The trabecular bone in the intervention group arranged closely. Compared with the intervention group 1, the collagen fibers in the intervention group 2, increased significantly, the proteoglycan activity decreased, and FM was significantly different (P<0.01). Conclusion Compared with raloxifene alone, raloxifene combined with Xianlinggubao can significantly improve the bone matrix metabolism, promote osteogenesis, and significantly enhance the biomechanical properties of the bone in rats with osteoporosis. |