LIVER CIRRHOSIS INDUCED BONE LOSS IN MICE AND THE EFFECT OF GINSENOSIDES

AIM To study the relationship between hepatic fibrosis and osteoporosis, and to observe the effects of ginsenosides (from stems and leaves of Panax ginseng C.A.Mey, GSL) on preventing bone loss. METHODS Thirty PCR mice were randomly divided into 3 groups. Group A were controls; Group B mice were given sc 40% CCl₄ 10 mL·kg^-1 once per 5 days as fibrosis model group; Group C were given ig GSL 100 mg·kg^-1 in addition to sc CCl₄. The three groups of mice were treated for 35 d. The liver injury indexes were measured and the mineral elements of the femur were determined. RESULTS Compared with group A, the serum enzymes of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartic acid aminotransferase (AST) and liver hydroxyproline (HyP) were markedly increased in group B whose liver slides also showed typical liver cirrhosis. The study of the bone showed that the dry weight of femur was markedly reduced and the bone calcium content was also significantly decreased in group B. So, the liver cirrhosis induced bone loss model was set up successfully. On the other hand, the result also demonstrated that bone copper and bone magnesium were increased in group B. However, in group C, GSL was found to inhibit markedly the decrease of serum enzymes and increase calcium content of the bone, so that the bone mass loss was prevented effectively. CONCLUSION Bone mass was lost in mice with chronic hepatic injury induced by CCl₄, GSL showed protection of liver tissue and preventive effect on bone loss in such mice.