Inhibitory effect of a Korean traditional medicine, Honghwain-Jahage (water extracts of Carthamus tinctorius L. seed and Hominis placenta) on interleukin-1-mediated bone resorption.

A Korean herbal formulation, Honghwain-Jahage (HJ), which is comprised of a herb of Carthamus tinctorius L. seed and Hominis Placenta, was investigated for inhibiting effects on IL-1 beta-stimulated bone resorption in the fetal mouse bone culture system. Results of in vitro cytotoxicities showed that HJ extracts have no any cytotoxicities in concentrations of 1-200 microg/ml on the cultured osteoblast cells derived from mouse calvarial bone explants.