Objective To observe the effect and mechanism of the constitution-consolidating, blood-activating, and bone-strengthening granules in rats with glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). Methods Three-month Wistar rats were randomly divided into the normal group, the model group, the traditional Chinese medicine group, and the Western medicine group. The serum content of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were tested with kits, respectively. Bone mineral density (BMD) and a series of structural parameters of femoral trabeculae including relative volume of bone trabecula (BV/TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), proportion of bone surface to bone volume (BS/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), and trabecular separation (Tb.Sp) were detected with micro-CT. The pathological morphology of femur was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE staining); the protein expression of phospho-nuclear transcription factor κB-p65 (p-NF-κB p65), recombinant nuclear factor of activated T-cell (NFATc1), and β-catenin in the femur were test with Western blotting. mRNA expressions of NFATc1, TNF receptor associated factor 6 (TRAF6), and β-catenin in the femur were test with reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results Constitution-consolidating, blood-activating and bone-strengthening granules increased the serum contents of Ca and P, BMD, BV/TV, Tb.Th, BS/TV, and Tb.N (P<0.05), and decreased the serum content of ALP and Tb.Sp (P<0.05). It also improved the protein and mRNA expressions of β-catenin, NFATcl, TRAF6, and p-NF-κB p65 (P<0.05). Moreover, the constitution-consolidating, blood-activating and bone-strengthening granules treatment had more advantage in serum ALP and femoral NFATcl compared with ALPHA D3 in GIOP rats (P<0.05). Conclusion The constitution-consolidating, blood-activating and bone-strengthening granules inhibit GIOP and reduce the bone loss via Wnt /β-catenin and TRAF6/NF-κB p65/NFATcl signal pathways. |