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<i>Gentiana macrophylla</i> Pall (Gentianaceae) extract exerts protective effects against osteoporosis in mice


Teng Gong
Xue-Tao Su
Qun Xia
Jing-Gui Wang

Abstract

Purpose: To evaluate the anti-osteoporotic effect of G. macrophylla extract in a mice model.
Methods: Antioxidant activity was determined by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) for radical scavenging, nitro-blue tetrazolium (NBT) reducing, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays using standard biochemical procedures. The expression of some bone-related genes was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qTR-PCR).  Phytochemical analysis was carried out by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS).
Results: The extract exhibited strong antioxidant activity as evident from DPPH, NBT and FRAP data, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 275, 262 and 180 μg/ml, respectively. The antioxidant activity was concentration-dependent. The results showed that the extract restored bone characteristics by suppressing bone resorption through induction of expressions of several boneassociated genes. The results from phytochemical analyses showed the presence of loganic acid, swertiamarin, sweroside, gentiopicroside, gentesin and isogentesin.
Conclusion: These results indicate that the extract may be beneficial in the treatment of osteoporosis.


Keywords: Gentiana macrophylla, Osteoporosis, Bone mass, Loganic acid, Swertiamarin, Sweroside, Gentiopicroside, Gentesin


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 1596-9827
print ISSN: 1596-5996