Effect Of HuangDi Powder On Aortic Calcification In Senescence Accelerated Mouse Prain 6

SAMP6 mice and their normal control mice SAMR1 were enrolled in this study. After 8 weeks of treatment with HuangDi Powder, the serum level of testosterone (T), osteocalcin (BGP), SOD, MDA and LDL C was determined. The calcium content in different tissues, aortic calcification, the mechanical properties of femur, and the expression of local bone metabolism factors (OPG and BMP 2) in arteriae aorta and femur were also assessed after experiment. The therapeutic effect of HuangDi powder on arterial calcification and osteoporosis was studied and the corralation of vascular calcification and osteoporosis was explored. The effect of HuangDi powder on arterial calcification in osteoporotic SAMP6 mice and its possible mechanisms were investigated.Compared to SAMR1 control group, the serum T level of SAMP6 was significantly decreased, whereas the BGP content was obviously increased. The SOD concentration in SAMP6 serum was significantly lower, and the MDA level was notably higher than that in SAMR1. When compared with SAMR1, the calcium content in serum and femur of SAMP6 decreased, while that in urine and arteriae aorta increased obviously. Morphological studies on thoracic aorta showed that the smooth muscle cells in tunica media decreased in amount and arranged disorderly, the elastic lamella were severe disorganized with areas of complete disappearance of the elastic fiber, and numerous calcium deposits were detected within the elastin fibers of tunica media in SAMP6. The microstructure and biomechanical properties of femur in SAMP6 were clearly worse than that in SAMR1. In the aorta of SAMP6, the OPG expression was down regulated and the BMP 2 expression was up regulated, but in the femur of SAMP6, the expression level of both OPG and BMP 2 decreased sharply than that in SAMR1.After the treatment with HuangDi powder, the serum T level in SAMP6 markedly heightened, whereas the OC concentration sharply declined. The increased serum SOD and the decreased MDA contents also were found in SAMP6 mice. HuangDi powder also improved abnormal tissue distribution of calcium to some degree, which induced an increase in calcium content in serum and femur and a decrease in calcium concentration in urine and arteriae aorta of SAMP6. HuangDi Powder could remodel the abnormal architecture of aorta wall and reduce the calcium deposition in thoracic aorta. The bone histomorphometric and mechanical indexes of SAMP6 also improved significantly. HuangDi powder was effective in promoting bone formation, restraining bone resorption, restoring the amount of bone volume and improving bone strength. Moreover, HuangDi powder could also restore the expression of OPG and BMP 2 in thoracic aorta and femur of SAMP6 to normal level.Some calcium deposits were observed in the extracellular matrix and the smooth muscle cells in aortic tunica media of osteoporotic SAMP6. Thoracic aortic calcification and osteoporosis observed in SAMP6 were correlated with the deficiency in testosterone secretion, the increase of lipid peroxidation, the imbalance in numbers and activity of osteoblast and osteoclast, the disorders of calcium balance of organisms and the abnormal expression of local bone metabolism factors (BGP, OPG and BMP 2). HuangDi powder not only promoted bone formation, restrained bone resorption and increased bone strength, but also suppressed calcium deposition in aorta by stimulating testosterone secretion and regulating the expression of OPG and BMP 2. Therefore, HuangDi Powder was effective in reversing osteoporosis of SAMP6 to some degree, and protecting the cardiovascular health at the same time.