| Objective To study the regulating effect of Yishen Bugu Decoction on bone metabolism in the ovariectomized rats. Methods 51 rats were selected to establish ovariectomized rat models, and another 10 rats were selected as sham operation group, and the rats with successful modeling were randomly divided into nylestriol group, high-dose Yishenbugu decoction group, medium dose Yishenbugu decoction group, low-dose Yishenbugu decoction group and blank model group, 10 rats in each group, and all the rats were treated by gavage. Bone mineral density (BMD) of femur and tibia and bone metabolism indexes were compared. The morphological changes of bone tissue were observed, and gene and protein expressions in rat tibia tissues were detected. Results Compared with the normal group, the bone mineral density of the model group decreased, the serum bone formation indexes decreased, the bone resorption indexes increased, and the pathological changes of tibia were serious, and the mRNA and protein expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), smad-1/5/8, Runt related transcription factor 2 (Runx 2), osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA and protein levels and p-smad1/5/8 level decreased on average, and the mRNA and protein expressions of nuclear factor κB receptor activator ligand (RANKL) and nuclear factor κB receptor activator factor (RANK) were increased, while nylestriol group and Yishenbugu decoction three dose groups improved the above indexes. The effect of Yishenbugu decoction was dose-dependent, and the middle dose effect of Yishenbugu decoction was close to those of nilestriol group, and the differences between each other two groups were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion Yishenbugu decoction can increase BMD, promote bone formation and reduce bone resorption in ovariectomized rats, and the mechanism may be related to the regulation of BMP/Smads pathway and OPG/RANKL/RANK pathway. |