| Objective To investigate the effects of Chonggu granules on bone metabolism and Notch pathway related factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) osteoporosis. Methods Seventy patients with RA and osteoporosis were randomly divided to the control group and the observation group, with 35 cases each group. Methotrexate and calcium carbonate D3 were administered orally in the control group. On the basis of the treatment, the observation group was given Chonggu granules. The course lasted for 12 weeks. The pain visual analog score (VAS), 28 joint mobility score (DAS28), simplified disease activity index (SDAI), blood sedimentation (ESR), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, osteocalcin (OC), pre-collagen amino-terminal peptide type I (PINP), and β-collagen degradation product (β-CTX) were examined. Lumbar spine and femoral BMD values were detected using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. mRNA expressions of Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 were determined with RT-qPCR. Results ACR70 in the observation group was 71.43%. The mRNA levels of DAS28, VAS, SDAI, ESR, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, β-CTX, Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 decreased significantly in both groups after treatment (P<0.01). OC, PINP, BMD of the lumbar spine and the femur increased significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01). In the observation group, the mRNA levels of DAS28, VAS, SDAI, ESR, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, β-CTX, Notch1, Jagged1, and Hes1 decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The bone mineral density of the lumbar spine and the femur, OC, and PINP were higher (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion Chonggu granules relieve disease activity, improve bone metabolism, and reduce inflammatory factors in patients with RA and osteoporosis. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of Notch pathway. |