Effect of antler extract on corticosteroid-induced avascular necrosis of the femoral head in rats.

BACKGROUND

Deer antler, traditionally used as a tonic and valuable drug in oriental medicine, has been considered to possess bone-strengthening activity and effectively used in bone diseases therapy.

OBJECTIVE

The present study was designed to investigate therapeutic effect of antler extract on avascular necrosis of the femoral head (ANFH) induced by corticosteroids in rats.

METHODS

Rats were intragluteally injected with dexamethasone at 50mg/kg twice per week for 6 weeks to induce ANFH. Then the rats were treated with antler extract by oral gavage at 200mg/kg, 400mg/kg and 800 mg/kg once per day for 60 days. The concentration of hydroxyproline and hexosamine in serum was measured and the ultrastructure of femoral head was examined. In vitro, effect of the drug-containing serum of antler extract on proliferation and differentiation of primary osteoblasts were investigated by MIT assay, ALP activity assay and cell cycle analysis.

RESULTS

After treatment with antler extract, the degree of necrosis induced by dexamethasone was significantly reduced, hydroxyproline was significantly decreased, and hexosamine and the ratio of hexosamine/hydroxyproline were significantly increased. The drug-containing serum of antler extract promotes osteoblastic proliferation through regulation of cell cycle progression.

CONCLUSIONS

The results suggest that antler extract has a positive curative effect on ANFH by promoting osteoblastic proliferation.