Anti-osteoporotic activity of puerarin 6″-O-xyloside on ovariectomized mice and its potential mechanism

Context: Osteoporosis is one of the most common bone diseases, and radix of Pueraria lobata (Willd.) Ohwi possesses an obvious therapeutical effect on postmenopausal osteoporosis.Objective: This study investigates the anti-osteoporotic activity of the puerarin 6″-O-xyloside (PXY) on ovariectomized mice and its related mechanism.Materials and methods: Osteoporotic mice model was established by ovariectomy (OVX). A total of 50 mice were divided into five groups (n = 10): sham, OVX group, PXY treatment groups (20, 40, and 60 mg/kg/d, i.p.). After 12 weeks’ treatment, body weights were recorded. Then, mice were sacrificed, and serum samples were collected to determine the blood calcium, blood phosphorus, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and osteoprotegerin (OPG) concentrations and uterine index was assayed. The thigh-bones of mice were collected to evaluate histopathological changes. In the in vitro experiment, the effect of PXY on osteoblasts’ proliferation was evaluated and western blotting was performed to determine expressions of OPG and the receptor activators of NF-κB ligand (RANKL), as well as the ratio of OPG/RANKL.Results: PXY (40 and 60 mg/kg/d, i.p.) obviously decreased body weights and increased uterine index of OVX (p < 0.05), and improved osteoporotic syndromes of OVX mice; PXY also significantly increased the concentrations of blood calcium, blood phosphorus, ALP, and OPG of OVX mice (p < 0.05); moreover, PXY obviously up-regulated the ratio of OPG/RANKL (p < 0.05).Conclusion: Our results demonstrated that the puerarin 6″-O-xyloside possesses significant anti-osteoporotic activity on ovariectomy mice.