Objective To observe the effect of flavored angelica caulis spatholobi decoction on bone mineral density and bone mass in ovariectomized rat models, and to explore the related mechanism and signal pathways. Methods Thirty 3-month-old female rats were randomly divided into Sham group, OVX group, and OVX+T group, with 10 rats in each group. After two weeks of adaptive feeding, ovariectomy for both ovaries was performed for rats in OVX and OVX+T group, while rats were sham operated in Sham group. Rats in OVX+T group received equivalent flavored angelica caulis spatholobi decoction through gavage two months after the operation. After continuous administration for 12 weeks, the serum and femoral tissues of rats in each group were collected for bone mineral density (BMD) test, tissue section test, Western blotting test, and serum index test. Results X-rays and HE sections showed that BMD and bone microparameters in OVX group were lower than those in Sham group, and BMD and bone microparameters in OVX+T group were higher than those in OVX group (P<0.05). Serum indicators show that the level of 17β-E2 in OVX group was lower than that in Sham group, and the content or activity of ALP, CTX-1, and TRAcP-5b were higher than those in Sham group. The level of 17β-E2 in OVX+T group was higher than that in OVX group, and the content or activity of ALP, CTX-1 and TRAcP-5b were lower than those in OVX group (P<0.05). Western blotting results showed that the expression levels of OPG and ERK in OVX group were lower than those in Sham group, and the ratios of RANKL, RANK, and RANKL/OPG were higher than those in Sham group. The expression levels of OPG and ERK in OVX+T group were higher than those in OVX group, and the ratio of RANKL, RANK, and RANKL/OPG was lower than that in OVX group (P<0.05). Conclusion The study shows that flavored angelica caulis spatholobi decoction is most likely to inhibit high bone conversion rate through estrogen-like effect, and to promote bone formation and to inhibit bone absorption through OPG/RANKL/RANK signaling pathway, so as to prevent and treat osteoporosis caused by estrogen deficiency. ERK signaling pathway may be involved in this process. |