| Objective To confirm the preventive and therapeutic effect of Mongolian medicine echinops sphaerocephalus L. on postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). This paper provides experimental basis for Mongolian medicine based on the classical theory of warming and tonifying essence-Qingzhenheyi-bone-fixing and bone-strengthening. It also reveals the theory and therapeutic effect on PMOP and provides ideas for the modernization of Mongolian medicine. Methods Grouping: 84 6-month SPF-grade healthy female sterile rats were randomly divided into 7 groups: sham group, ovariectomized osteoporosis model group (OVX), Echinops-H group, Echinops-M group, Echinops-L group, Herba Epimedii control group (HEP), and Western medicine control group Co-Q10 group (Co-Q10). Modeling: Postmenopausal osteoporosis model was established by bilateral ovariectomy (castration). Vaginal epithelial keratosis test, bone mineral density test, and uterine pathology were used to verify the success of the model. Drug administration: 90 days after the operation, rats in the model group and sham-operation group received intragastric administration of normal saline. Rats in the rest groups received intragastric administration of corresponding drugs. Sample collection: Samples were collected after the last gastric perfusion. The right femur of the rats was removed, labeled, and fixed in 4% polyformaldehyde solution. Indicators: Bone mineral density (BMD) of the right femur (proximal femur BMD and total femur BMD) was measured with bone mineral density instrument. Bone microstructural morphometry was examined with micro-CT. Results BMD decreased significantly in all groups after ovariectomy, which was characteristic by decreased cancellous and cortical bone, thinned cortical bone, and decreased BMD. Bone tissue volume, trabecular volume fraction, trabecular thickness, trabecular width, trabecular number, and trabecular module decreased significantly, but the trabecular segregation increased significantly, in all groups after ovariectomy. Appropriate dosage of Mongolian medicine echinops sphaerocephalus L. significantly increased the volume of bone tissue, the volume fraction of bone trabecula, the thickness of bone trabecula, the width of bone trabecula, the number of bone trabecula, and the modular factors of bone trabecula, and significantly reduced the trabecular segregation. The drug had obvious anti-PMOP effect. Conclusion Mongolian medicine echinops sphaerocephalus L. has significant anti-osteoporosis effect on PMOP model rats. Mongolian medicine echinops sphaerocephalus L. significantly promotes osteogenic differentiation and bone formation in PMOP model rats, reduces the high bone metabolic conversion index, and inhibits bone resorption in PMOP model rats. |