Water Extract of Prevents Ovariectomy-Induced Bone Loss by Inhibiting Osteoclastogenesis.

Estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women causes homeostatic imbalance of bone, resulting in bone loss and osteoporosis. , a plant belonging to the Lamiaceae family, is an aromatic herb, and the leaves of this herb are widely used as food ingredients. Extracts of have various bioactivities including anti-HIV integration, anti-inflammatory, and anti-atherogenic properties. However, the beneficial effect of on bone has not been studied. Therefore, we investigated the effects of water extract of (WEAR) on osteoclast differentiation and estrogen deficiency-induced bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) mice as an animal model for postmenopausal osteoporosis. The oral administration of WEAR remarkably improved OVX-induced trabecular bone loss and fat accumulation in the bone marrow. WEAR suppressed receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation in osteoclast precursor cells, subsequently inhibiting resorption activity on a bone mimetic surface. WEAR inhibited the expression of cellular oncogene fos (c-Fos) and nuclear factor of activated T-cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), key osteoclastogenic transcription factors, by decreasing RANKL-induced activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways. We also identified seventeen phytochemicals present in WEAR, including five phenols and twelve flavonoids, and found eleven bioactive constituents that have anti-osteoclastogenic effects. Collectively, these results suggest that WEAR could be used to treat and prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis by suppressing osteoclastogenesis.