Li Junjie, Hu Yucheng, Li Ruxu, Ouyang Tianxin, Ran Qiang, Zhang Guilong, Huang Yong
Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China.
Chongqing University of Chinese Medicine, Chongqing, China.
J Orthop Surg Res. 2025 Feb 1;20(1):128. doi: 10.1186/s13018-025-05504-w.
The target and mechanism of oral traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have been important research directions for a long time. The close relationship between osteoporosis and gut microbiota (GM) has been confirmed. However, the relevance of oral TCM and the "Gut-Bone Axis" is still poorly understood.
Twenty-one SPF C57BL/6J female mice were divided into sham (Sham), ovariectomized (OVX), and Zuo-Gui-Wan-treated (ZGW, 1.4 g/kg) groups. The osteoporosis mouse model was established through ovariectomy. After eight weeks of Zuo-Gui-Wan treatment via gavage, serum calcium, phosphorus, ALT, AST, CREA, and other biochemical indicators were measured. Subsequently, Micro-CT, HE staining, and analysis of gut microbiota were conducted to further explore the potential mechanism.
The anti-osteoporotic effects of ZGW were confirmed through micro-CT, histological, and biochemical tests in an OVX-induced osteoporosis mouse model. ZGW treatment also alters the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota and altered the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio. Further analysis reveals a correlation between specific bacterial groups and serum indicators. Mfuzz clustering analysis and metagenomeSeq analysis identified important microbiota species that were rescued or modulated by ZGW treatment.
These findings suggest that changes in gut microbiota abundance may be linked to ZGW's ability to improve osteoporosis. This study provides new insights into how ZGW treats osteoporosis, though further research is needed to clarify the mechanisms by which specific gut microbiota influence bone health.
长期以来，口服中药的作用靶点和机制一直是重要的研究方向。骨质疏松症与肠道微生物群（GM）之间的密切关系已得到证实。然而，口服中药与“肠 - 骨轴”的相关性仍知之甚少。
将21只SPF级C57BL/6J雌性小鼠分为假手术组（Sham）、去卵巢组（OVX）和左归丸治疗组（ZGW，1.4 g/kg）。通过去卵巢建立骨质疏松小鼠模型。经口灌胃给予左归丸治疗8周后，检测血清钙、磷、谷丙转氨酶（ALT）、谷草转氨酶（AST）、肌酐（CREA）等生化指标。随后，进行Micro-CT、苏木精 - 伊红（HE）染色及肠道微生物群分析，以进一步探讨潜在机制。
通过Micro-CT、组织学和生化检测，证实左归丸在去卵巢诱导的骨质疏松小鼠模型中具有抗骨质疏松作用。左归丸治疗还改变了肠道微生物群的多样性和组成，并改变了厚壁菌门/拟杆菌门的比例。进一步分析揭示了特定细菌群与血清指标之间的相关性。Mfuzz聚类分析和宏基因组序列分析确定了经左归丸治疗后得到挽救或调节的重要微生物种类。
这些发现表明肠道微生物群丰度的变化可能与左归丸改善骨质疏松症的能力有关。本研究为左归丸治疗骨质疏松症的机制提供了新的见解，不过仍需进一步研究以阐明特定肠道微生物群影响骨骼健康的机制。
