Astragalus Extract Mixture HT042 Improves Bone Growth, Mass, and Microarchitecture in Prepubertal Female Rats: A Microcomputed Tomographic Study

Abstract

Astragalus extract mixture HT042 is a standardized multiherbal mixture comprising Astragalus membranaceus, Eleutherococcus senticosus, and Phlomis umbrosa, which has proven to promote children's height growth. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of HT042 on longitudinal bone growth, bone mass, and bone microstructure in growing rats using a high-resolution microcomputed tomography system. Four-week-old female rats were fed an HT042-containing diet for 2 weeks. Tibial length was measured at baseline and weekly in vivo. At the end of the study, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD) and microarchitectural parameters were estimated in the trabecular and cortical bone of the tibia. Tibial length gain was significantly increased by HT042 compared to that reported with the control diet. In the proximal tibial metaphysis, HT042-treated rats had significantly higher trabecular vBMD, bone volume fraction, and trabecular number and lower trabecular separation, trabecular pattern factor, and structure model index values than control rats did. Total cross-sectional area and bone area of the cortical bone in the tibial diaphysis also increased. These findings suggest that HT042 increases longitudinal bone growth rate, improves trabecular bone mass, and enhances the microarchitecture of trabecular and cortical bone during growth.

Effects of Chinese wolfberry and astragalus extracts on growth performance, pork quality, and unsaturated fatty acid metabolism regulation in Tibetan fragrant pigs

“…Other studies found that adding astragalus extract mixture HT042 (Astragalus, Xanthium, and Acanthopanax senticosus ) stimulated epiphyseal plate cell proliferation, and induced IGF‐1 expression and longitudinal bone growth, which can help improve children's growth. HT042 increased longitudinal bone growth rate, improved trabecular bone quality, and improved bone strength and quality; moreover, it was proven to be safe as a growth agent for children's height, because toxicity was found in rats at an approximate lethal dose of >500 mg/kg, with no observed adverse reaction at 400 mg/kg/day (Kim et al, 2012; Song, Hyun, et al, 2017; Song, Lee, et al, 2017). It was also found that the production performance of laying hens could be improved by an appropriate amount of Chinese wolfberry, which also regulated lipid metabolism (Bai, 2012).…”

Glucocorticoid induced bone disorders in children: Research progress in treatment mechanisms

“…Phlomis umbrosa has the functions of detumescence, muscle growth, tendon continuation and bone grafting. It was found that the mixture of Phlomis umbrosa, Astragalus membranaceus and Acanthopanax senticosus could increase the longitudinal bone growth rate of growing rats, improve the quality of bone trabeculae, and enhance the microstructure of bone trabeculae and cortical bone during growth ( 138 ). Donghun Lee et al.used the extract of Phlomis gracile to treat female adolescent rats and found that it increased the longitudinal bone growth rate and promoted the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes by up-regulating the expression of local IGF-1 and BMP-2 in the growth plate ( 139 ).…”

Genome-Wide Differential Methylation Profiles from Two Terpene-Rich Medicinal Plant Extracts Administered in Osteoarthritis Rats

“…Phlomis umbrosa Turczanimow (Family, Lamiaceae), is a medicinal plant, which has been used to treat allergic conditions [9], improve bone growth [10], and manage bonerelated diseases, such as OA and osteoporosis [11,12]. Another medicinal plant, Dipsacus asperoides C.Y.Cheng & T.M.Ai (Family, Caprifoliaceae) is used to treat broken bones and liver abnormalities [13].…”