Abstract: Objective Traditional Chinese medicine show that kidney stores the essence, generates the marrow and nourishes the bones. Bone growing development are closely related to kidney essence, brain and bone marrow. This study come to revealed the regulation mechanism of Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum. Method Experimental rat models were established by removing ovaries. Rats randomly divided into five groups: the normal group, model group, Xianlinggubao group, Bujiale group, Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum group. After 12 weeks treatment, femoral bone mineral density (BMD) was measured by dual energy X-ray absorbinmetry. The activities of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and TGF-β induced early growth response 1 (TIEG1) in the bone, kidneys and hypothalamus was measured through ELISA. Results After 12 weeks treatment, femoral BMD in model group was significantly decreased (P<0.05)compared with normal group, the femoral BMD in Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum group was much higher than the model group (P<0.05), the activities of TGF-β1, TIEG1 in the bone, kidney and hypothalamus of model group rat was significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared with the normal group, the activities of TGF-β1、TIEG1 in the treatment groups were much higher than the model group, the femoral BMD in Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum group was much higher than the model group (P<0.05). Conclusion One of the main pathological mechanisms in osteoporosis induced by ovarian removal is considered to be the abnormal activities of TGF-β1, TIEG1, possibly involving the feedback regulation mechanism of the hypothalamus-kidney-bone. Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum may control the disease by regulating the hypothalamus-kidney-bone feedback mechanism.

Key words: Cornu Cervi Pantotrichum, Osteoporosis, Transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)