Am J Chin Med. 2002 ; 30(2-3): 271-85.

The effect of Chinese medicine on bone cell activities.

Lin CY, Sun JS, Sheu SY, Lin FH, Wang YJ, Chen LT.

School of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, ROC.

In this experiment, we investigate the biochemical effects of traditional Chinese medicines via an in vitro bone cell culture. Ten different Chinese medicines were used in this study. The rat osteoblast-osteoclast co-culture system was used as the experimental model. After the cells grew to 80% confluence, various tested materials were added. The mitochondria activity of the bone cells after exposure to various preparations of Chinese medicines was determined by colorimetric assay. Biochemical markers such as protein content, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and acid phosphatase (ACP) titer were analyzed to evaluate the bone cell activity. When cultured with various Chinese medicines for 24 hours, only four of these ten Chinese medicines had potential beneficial effects on the bone cell culture; and only Drynaria fortunei (Kunze) J. Sm. had a universal beneficial effect on bone cell metabolism. The major beneficial effect of Drynaria fortunei (Kunze) J. Sm. on bone cells is probably mediated by the induction of apoptosis of the osteoclast cell population. Continued study of alterations in gene expression of bone cells caused by Chinese medicines will improve our understanding of bone cell responses to various pharmacological interventions.