[Skeletal effect of xianzhen gubao on preventing prednisone-induced osteoporosis in male rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Chinese medicine Xianzhengubao (XZGB) capsules of compound prescription on corticosteroid-induced osteoporosis in rats. METHOD: 3-month-old SD male rats were randomly divided into basal control and aging control, prednisone (4.5 mg.kg-1, ig, twice a week) and XZGB capsules were used in three different doses (0.2, 0.4, 0.8 g.kg-1.d-1 ig)6 times a week. All the rats were killed. On the 90th day afteradministration. The proximal tibiae were processed in undecalcified sections at a thickness of 4-10 microns for histomorphometric analysis. RESULT: Compared with the aging controls corticosteroid reduced markedly the trabecular bone mass due to increase of bone resorption and decrease of bone formation (%Tb. Ar 52.9%). Treatment with XZGB capsules in high doses increased significantly the trabecular area as compared with the hormone control(% Tb. Ar + 91.2%). The protective mechanism of XZGB capsules mainly consists in suppressing bone resorption and mildly increasing bone formation in rats. CONCLUSION: Xianzhen gubao capsules have an effect on preventing bone loss in rats induced by corticosteroid, and higher doses produce greater effect.