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Bone protection effects of a novel Chinese herbal formula, Taikong Yangxin Prescription (太空养心方), in hindlimb unloaded rats against bone deterioration

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Abstract

Objective

To investigate the protective effects of a Chinese herbal formula, Taikong Yangxin Prescription (太空养心方, TKYXP) against bone deterioration in a hindlimb unloaded (tail-suspension) rat model.

Methods

Thirty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: tail-suspension group fed with 2.5 g•kg-1•day-1 of TKYXP extract (high dose), tail-suspension group fed with 1.25 g•kg-1•day-1 (low dose), tail-suspended group treated with water placebo (placebo control group) and non tail-suspended group. The effects of TKYXP on bone were assessed using peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), microcomputerized tomography (micro-CT) and three-point bending biomechanical test on the femur in vivo.

Results

TKYXP had a significant protective effect against bone loss induced by tail-suspension on day 28, as shown in the reduction in bone mineral density (BMD) loss, preservation of bone micro-architecture and biomechanical strength. The administration ofhigh dose TKYXP could significantly reduce the total BMD loss by 4.8% and 8.0% at the femur and tibia regions, respectively, compared with the placebo control group (P<0.01) on day 28. Its bone protective effect on the femur was further substantiated by the increases of the trabecular BMD (by 6.6%), bone volume fraction (by 20.9%), trabecular number (by 9.5%) and thickness (by 11.9%) as compared with the placebo control group.

Conclusion

TKYXP may protect the bone under weightless inflfl uence from gradual structural deterioration in the tail-suspension model.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙), Wing-Sum Siu  (萧永沁), Chung-Lap Chan  (陈颂立), Chi-Man Koon  (官志文), Kwok-Pui Fung  (冯国培) & Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)

  2. State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China

    Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙), Wing-Sum Siu  (萧永沁), Chung-Lap Chan  (陈颂立), Chi-Man Koon  (官志文), Kwok-Pui Fung  (冯国培) & Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)

  3. State Key Laboratory of Space Medicine Fundamentals and Application, China Astronaut research and Training Center, Beijing, 100094, China

    Yong-Zhi Li  (李勇枝) & Ying-Hui Li  (李莹辉)

Authors
  1. Chun-Hay Ko  (高俊熙)
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  2. Wing-Sum Siu  (萧永沁)
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  3. Chung-Lap Chan  (陈颂立)
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  4. Chi-Man Koon  (官志文)
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  5. Kwok-Pui Fung  (冯国培)
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  6. Yong-Zhi Li  (李勇枝)
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  7. Ying-Hui Li  (李莹辉)
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  8. Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中)
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping-Chung Leung  (梁秉中).

Additional information

Supported by Focused Investments Scheme: One-off Support (Scheme D)–Collaboration with the China Astronaut Research and Training Centre (No. RAC/2006/182), the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China

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Ko, CH., Siu, WS., Chan, CL. et al. Bone protection effects of a novel Chinese herbal formula, Taikong Yangxin Prescription (太空养心方), in hindlimb unloaded rats against bone deterioration. Chin. J. Integr. Med. 21, 759–764 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-015-2310-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11655-015-2310-3

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