Puerariae radix promotes differentiation and mineralization in human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 104; no. 3; pp. 345 - 350
• Main Authors: Huh, Jeong-Eun, Yang, Ha-Ru, Park, Dong-Suk, Choi, Do-Young, Baek, Yong-Hyeon, Cho, Eun-Mi, Cho, Yoon-Je, Kang-Il, Kim, Kim, Deog-Yoon, Lee, Jae-Dong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 06.04.2006; Elsevier
• Subjects: Alkaline Phosphatase - biosynthesis; Alkaline Phosphatase - genetics; ALP activity; Biological and medical sciences; bone formation; bone mineralization; Calcification, Physiologic - drug effects; cell differentiation; Cell Differentiation - drug effects; Cell Line; Col I; Collagen Type I - biosynthesis; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drugs, Chinese Herbal - pharmacology; ethnobotany; Gene Expression; General pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; medicinal plants; medicinal properties; Mineralization; OCN; OPN; osteoblasts; Osteoblasts - cytology; Osteoblasts - drug effects; Osteoblasts - metabolism; Osteocalcin - biosynthesis; Osteopontin; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; plant extracts; Pueraria; Pueraria montana var. lobata; Puerariae radix; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; RNA, Messenger - biosynthesis; Sialoglycoproteins - biosynthesis; traditional medicine; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A - biosynthesis; VEGF; Alps; Asia; Europe; China; Puerariae radix; Mineralization; VEGF; ALP activity; OCN; OPN; Col I; Human; Root; Pharmacognosy; Pueraria lobata; In vitro; Medicinal plant; Osteoarticular system; Leguminosae; Folk medicine; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Plant origin; Osteoblast; Spermatophyta; Bone; Below ground plant part
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2005.09.041

Puerariae radix (PR) is a traditional medicine herb used for enhancing body resistance against various diseases. The aim of this study was to identify whether Puerariae radix extract induces osteogenic activity in human osteoblast-like SaOS-2 cells. Puerariae radix had no effect on the viability of osteoblastic cells, and dose-dependently increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity. Puerariae radix markedly increased mRNA expression for vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), osteocalcin (OCN), osteopontin (OPN), and type I collagen (Col I) in SaOS-2 cells. Extracellular accumulation of proteins such as VEGF and Col I was increased in a dose-dependent manner. Also, Puerariae radix significantly induced mineralization in the culture of SaOS-2 cells. In conclusion, this study showed that Puerariae radix had no effect on viability, but enhanced ALP activity, VEGF, bone matrix proteins such as OCN, OPN, and Col I, and mineralization in SaOS-2 cells. These results propose that Puerariae radix can play an important role in osteoblastic bone formation, and may possibly lead to the development of bone-forming drugs.