OBJECTIVE: To study the efficacy of traditional Chinese Kidney-Tonifying Recipe (KTR) in male rats with osteoporosis induced by dexamethasone (DM) and its mechanism.METHODS: Forty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats at 12 months of age were chosen: they were divided into four groups and KTR and DM were administered appropriately for 18 weeks. General bone mineral density, femur bending strength, serum-BGP, serum-PTH and serum-E2 were measured.RESULTS: General bone mineral density, femur bending strength in KTR prevention group were significantly higher than those in DM group (P < 0.01) and the same with those in normal control group (P > 0.05). General bone mineral density, femur bending strength in KTR treatment group were higher than those in DM group (P < 0.05), and lower than those in normal control group. Compared with DM group, level of serum-T in KTR prevention group and KTR treatment group increased (P < 0.05) and level of serum-PTH in those two groups decreased (P < 0.05). But in comparison with DM group, level of serum-E2 and serum-BGP in the above-mentioned two groups was unchanged (P > 0.05).CONCLUSIONS: The data indicated that traditional Chinese Kidney-Tonifying Recipe could prevent and treat osteoporosis in male rats induced by DM.
Animals Bone Density