Objective To investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of Yu Rong Zhuanggu Gao on postmenopausal osteoporosis rats based on EZH2/Wnt3a/β-catenin pathway regulating osteogenic differentiation. Methods The postmenopausal osteoporosis model of SD rats was selected and randomly divided into model group, Alendronate sodium tablet group (6.3 mg/kg/w), Yu Rong Zhuangu Gao high (10.8g/kg/d), medium (5.4g/kg/d) and low dose (2.7g/kg/d) groups after the model was successful, and other rats of the same age were selected as sham operation group. The bone microstructure was detected by Micro CT and the histopathologic morphology of femur was observed by HE staining. The expression levels of osteogenic proteins (Runx2, OSX, OPG) in rat femur were detected by IF method. The mRNA and protein expression levels of EZH2, Wnt3a and β-catenin were detected by RT-qPCR and Western Blot. Results Compared with sham operation group, bone microstructure (BMD, BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.N and Tb.Sp) in model group was significantly damaged (P<0.05), bone trabeculae were sparsely-arranged, discontinuous and discontinuous, fat droplets accumulated more, and osteogenic protein expression in bone tissue was significantly decreased (P<0.05). The mRNA and protein expression levels of EZH2 were significantly increased, while the mRNA and protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the bone microstructure of rats in each administration group was significantly improved (P<0.05), the bone tissue pathological structure of rats in each administration group was improved to different degrees, the osteogenic protein expression in the bone tissue of rats in each administration group was increased to different degrees (P<0.05), and the EZH2 mRNA and protein expression levels in the bone tissue of rats in each administration group were significantly decreased. The mRNA and protein expression levels of Wnt3a and β-catenin were significantly increased (P<0.05). Conclusion Yu Rong Zhuanggu Gao can significantly improve bone loss in postmenopausal osteoporosis rats, and its mechanism is related to regulating EZH2/Wnt3a /β-catenin pathway to promote osteogenic differentiation. |