Traditional Chinese medicine Bushen-Jianpi-Huoxue decoction prevents diabetic osteoporosis in rats via Wnt and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways.

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic effect of a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), Bushen-Jianpi-Huoxue decoction (BJHD), on diabetic osteoporosis (DOP) and the action mechanisms likely mediated by nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and Wnt signaling pathways.

Methods: Fifty-five male Wistar rats were used in this study; they were divided into normal control (n = 10) and established DOP model (n = 45) groups. The DOP model was induced using a combination high carbohydrate - high fat diet and intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ). The successfully induced animals were randomized to the model, Western medicine, TCM and control groups. Levels of fasting blood glucose; insulin; serum Ca, P and alkaline phosphatase, and the femoral bone mineral density (BMD) were measured. Furthermore, messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of cytokines in the Wnt and NF-κB signaling pathways were measured using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results: Thirty rats were successfully established as the DOP model (10/group). After treatment, the levels of fasting blood glucose, insulin resistance and alkaline phosphatase in the TCM group rats were lower, while P and BMD were higher than those in the model groups. The mRNA levels of cytokines in the Wnt signaling pathway were higher in the TCM group than those in the model group. Moreover, the expressions of factors in the NF-κB pathway were markedly lower in the TCM group than they were in the model group.

Conclusion: Bushen-Jianpi-Huoxue decoction relieved DOP by activating the Wnt signaling pathway while inhibiting NF-κB signaling.