Abstract
Glucocorticoids are widely used to treat chronic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis
and asthma. However, long-term glucocorticoid therapy can result in serious side effects,
such as osteoporosis. The present study investigated the preventive effects of berberine
on glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in rats. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated
with vehicle, glucocorticoid, glucocorticoid and berberine, or glucocorticoid and
calcium carbonate with vitamin D3 for 12 weeks. The proximal tibiae of all rats were processed without decalcification
for quantitative bone histomorphometry, and femur mechanical testing as well as bone
mineral density (BMD) were analyzed. A significant decrease was found in the glucocorticoid-treated
group compared with the control group in such indices as biomechanical quality, BMD,
trabecular bone volume/total tissue area (BV/TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular
thickness (Tb.Th), mineral apposition rate (MAR), bone formation rate/total tissue
area (BFR/TV), and bone formation rate/trabecular bone surface (BFR/BS). In addition,
significantly increased trabecular separation (Tb.Sp), osteoclast number/trabecular
bone volume (Oc.N/BV), and osteoclast surface/trabecular bone surface (Oc.S/BS) were
observed in the glucocorticoid-treated group, compared with the control group. Berberine
and calcium carbonate with vitamin D3 prevented the decrease in biomechanical quality, BMD, BV/TV, Tb.N, Tb.Th, MAR, BFR/TV,
and BFR/BS, as well as increased Tb.Sp, Oc.N/BV, and Oc.S/BS in glucocorticoid-induced
osteoporotic rats. The present results suggest that berberine prevents glucocorticoid-induced
osteoporosis by inhibiting bone resorption and improving bone formation.
Key words
berberine - osteoporosis - glucocorticoid - osteoclast - osteoblast
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Dr. Daohua Xu
Department of Pharmacology
Guangdong Medical College
1 Xincheng Road
523808 Dongguan
China
Phone: + 86 7 69 22 89 63 64
Fax: + 86 7 69 22 89 65 47
Email: daohuax@yahoo.com.cn