Abstract:

BACKGROUND: Conventional Chinese medicine eucommia can promote the osteogenic differentiation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of eucommia water/alcohol extract on the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells.
METHODS: The rabbit adipose tissue was taken for in vitro culture of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells. Passage 3 cells were used for study of cell proliferation ability and osteogenic differentiation. The experimental group cells were treated with induced medium containing 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 g/L eucommia water/alcohol extract. The control group cells were treated with equal amounts of phosphate buffered saline. After osteogenic induction for 6 days, cell proliferation ability and alkaline phosphatase activity were determined. After osteogenic inducation for 14 days, alizarin red staining was performed and calcified nodules were counted.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Eucommia water/alcohol extract did not produce effects on the proliferation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells, but it significantly up-regulated the activity of alkaline phsphatase. Eucommia alcohol extract exhibited stronger regulatory effects than eucommia water extract at the same dilutions, and eucommia water/alcohol extract at 0.4-0.5 g/L dilutions significantly promoted the formation of calcified nodules (P < 0.05). These findings suggest that eucommia water/alcohol extract promotes the osteogenic differentiation of adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells, and eucommia alcohol extract exhibits better effects than eucommia water extract.