Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis can delay fracture healing. The studies on the effect and underlying mechanisms of Xianlinggubao on osteoporotic fracture healing are unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of osteoporosis on fracture healing of shaft of femur in rats and the intervention effectiveness of Xianlinggubao as well as its underlying mechanisms.
METHODS: Fifty female 3 months old Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into five groups: normal control (n=6), osteoporosis group (n=6), normal fracture group (n=12), osteoporotic fracture group (n=12) and Xianlinggubao treatment group (n=12). Rat model of bilateral ovariectomy was established, and rat model of right shaft femur fracture was prepared after 8 weeks. Rats in the treatment group was given 250 mg/kg Xianlinggubao with intragastric administration , while rats in the normal fracture and osteoporotic fracture groups were given equal volume of normal saline for 6 weeks with intragastric administration.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Rats in the osteoporosis group showed markedly decreased bone mineral density, compared to the normal control group at 8 weeks after ovariectomy (P < 0.05), which suggested rat models of osteoporosis were prepared successfully. After intragastric administration for 6 weeks, bone mineral density, X-ray film scores and maximal load in the osteoporotic fracture group were significantly lower than those of normal fracture group and Xianlinggubao treatment group (P < 0.05). But those in Xianlinggubao treatment group were still markedly lower than those in the normal fracture group (P < 0.05). These results suggest that rats with osteoporosis have delayed fracture healing, and Xianlinggubao can promote the fracture healing.