Effect of Spatholobus Suberectus Extract (SSE) on RANKL-treated RAW264.7 and LPS-induced Bone Loss

Purpose: We evaluated whether Spatholobus suberectus extract (SSE) can be used as a means of preventing and treating osteoporosis by measuring its effect on osteoclast differentiation, gene expression, and bone resorption.Methods: SSE was used to examine the effect on RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with RANKL to induce bone resorption. The inhibitory effect of TRAP formation and the expression of the bone resorption factors TRAP, cathepsin K, and MMP-9 during differentiation were measured. The effects on the differentiation-related factors NFATc and TRAIL and on the expression of OC-STAMP, DC-STAMP, ATP6v0d2, MITF, c-Fos, and inflammation-related factors were also evaluated. The effect on bone resorption was evaluated by culturing RANKL-treated osteoclasts on artificial bone fragments and observing the resulting resorption traces. The effect on bone damage in experimental animals was also measured.Results: SSE inhibited the differentiation of RANKL-stimulated osteoclasts into osteoclasts and suppressed the expression of cathepsin K, TRAP, MMP-9, NFATc1, TRAIL, MITF, OC-STAMP, DC-STAMP, ATP6v0d2, and c-Fos genes. Bone pore formation due to osteoclast action was also inhibited, and LPS-induced bone loss was suppressed in animal experiments.Conclusions: SSE could be useful for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and bone resorption and suppressing bone loss induced in experimental animals. However, studies of larger populations are required.