Diabetes Research Center, Traditional Chinese Medicine School, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100029, China.
Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy Sciences of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100053, China.
J Ethnopharmacol. 2021 Oct 28;279:114348. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114348. Epub 2021 Jun 19.
Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL) is an edible herb with anti-osteoporotic activity, yet whether and how the aqueous extract of this herb affect calcium metabolism in preservation of bone quality remain unclear.
To investigate the effects of FLL aqueous extract on calcium balance and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production in ovariectomized (OVX) rats.
OVX rats were daily and orally administrated with FLL aqueous extract (3.5 g/kg) for 14 weeks. The levels of N-terminal propeptide of type I collagen (PINP) and C-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen (CTx-I) in rat serum were evaluated by ELISA assays. The concentration of calcium in serum, urine, and feces were determined by biochemical assays. Bone quality was determined by Micro-CT, a three-point bending assay, and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectrometry. The expressions of Calbindin D28K and Calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) in kidney as well as the Vitamin D receptor (VDR), the transient receptor potential vanilloid receptor 6 (TRPV6), Calbindin D9k in the duodenum were measured by immunohistochemistry, western blotting, or real-time PCR. The short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) levels in the feces of the cecum were tested by gas chromatograghy.
The administration of FLL to OVX rats resulted in a significant improvement in bone mineral density and biomechanical strength as well as in maintaining bone microstructures and material quality. Meanwhile, the decreased levels of PINP and increased levels of CTx-I in OVX rats were restored by FLL treatment. Additionally, FLL treatment increased calcium absorption, upregulated VDR, TRPV6, Calbindin D9k expressions in the duodenum, Calbindin D28K in kidney, and down-regulated CaSR expression in the kidney, as well as enhanced SCFAs levels in the feces of OVX rats.
FLL aqueous extract may preserve bone quality through regulation of the calcium balance and intestinal SCFAs production in OVX rats. This offers translational value of FLL into osteoporosis clinical trial.
女贞子（FLL）是一种具有抗骨质疏松活性的食用草药，但这种草药的水提物是否以及如何影响钙代谢以维持骨质量尚不清楚。
研究女贞子水提物对去卵巢（OVX）大鼠钙平衡和短链脂肪酸（SCFAs）产生的影响。
OVX 大鼠每天口服给予女贞子水提物（3.5g/kg）14 周。通过 ELISA 测定大鼠血清中 I 型胶原 N 端前肽（PINP）和 I 型胶原 C 端肽（CTX-I）的水平。通过生化测定法测定血清、尿液和粪便中钙的浓度。通过 Micro-CT、三点弯曲试验和傅里叶变换红外（FTIR）光谱法测定骨质量。通过免疫组织化学、Western blot 或实时 PCR 测定肾脏中钙结合蛋白 D28K 和钙敏感受体（CaSR）以及十二指肠中维生素 D 受体（VDR）、瞬时受体电位香草酸受体 6（TRPV6）、钙结合蛋白 D9k 的表达。通过气相色谱法测定盲肠粪便中的短链脂肪酸（SCFAs）水平。
给予 OVX 大鼠女贞子水提物可显著改善骨矿物质密度和生物力学强度，并维持骨微结构和材料质量。同时，女贞子治疗可恢复 OVX 大鼠中 PINP 水平降低和 CTx-I 水平升高。此外，女贞子水提物治疗可增加钙吸收，上调十二指肠中 VDR、TRPV6、钙结合蛋白 D9k 的表达，下调肾脏中 CaSR 的表达，并增强 OVX 大鼠粪便中 SCFAs 的水平。
女贞子水提物可通过调节 OVX 大鼠的钙平衡和肠道 SCFAs 产生来维持骨质量。这为女贞子在骨质疏松临床试验中的应用提供了转化价值。
