| Objective To observe the effect of puerarin on bone morphology and PTEN-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway in ovariectomized osteoporosis mice, and to explore its possible mechanism. Methods Twenty-four C57BL/6 female mice aged 10-12 weeks and weighed 20-25g were randomly divided into sham operation group (sham), ovariectomy group (OVX), and puerarin group (PUE). At 8 weeks after operation, the intervention was given for 8 consecutive weeks. Six mice from each group were randomly selected and killed by cervical dislocation. The left femur was scanned with micro CT. The relative gene expression of PTEN, FoxO1, and catalase in the bone tissue was detected using real-time PCR. The protein expression of PTEN, p-Akt, and catalase in bone tissue was observed with immunohistochemistry. Results At eight weeks after operation, the uterus in OVX group became smaller, HE staining of the bone tissue was significantly sparse, and the trabecular fracture was obvious in micro CT. The results of PCR showed that the gene expression of PTEN, FoxO1, and catalase was up-regulated. The protein expression of PTEN and catalase was up-regulated, and the protein expression of p-Akt was down regulated in puerarin group, but the difference was not obvious. Conclusion Puerarin may inhibit postmenopausal osteoporosis by mediating PTEN-PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. |