Effects of the Chinese herbal medicine based on Hachimi-jio-gan in male rats with the adenine-induced osteopenia.

Abstract

In the adenine-induced renal failure rats, reversibility of renal failure and recovery of bone mineral density (BMD) by discontinuation of adenine-rich diet were reported. We think that the effect to bone metabolism with medication may be able to be evaluated as reinforcement of the BMD recovery. We have so far investigated the Chinese herbal medicine based on Hachimi-jio-gan (HJG) which are more effective than HJG alone. In this study, we investigated the effects of our Chinese herbal prescription on BMD in the adenine-treated rats compared to that of vitamin D3 treatment. Young male rats were administrated 100 mg/ml adenine for 8 weeks, and they showed renal failure and bone loss. The adenine-treated rats were divided into the following 3 groups, that is, the group experienced no treatment (control), the group given our Chinese herbal medicine (HAO), and the group given vitamin D3 (VD3) medication. It is likely that VD3 medication was less effective for increase of the femoral BMD than increase of the spinal BMD. In contrast, HAO was effective for increase of the femoral BMD. The VD3 group showed low deoxypyridinoline (Dpd: bone resorption maker) as compared to the control group. However, the HAO group showed same or slightly high Dpd. It is suggested that VD3 may increase BMD by reduction of bone resorption, while HAO may show effect on BMD by activating bone metabolism. It is indicated that HAO may become a curative medicine for bone loss because of the different target site from vitamin D3.