Effects of herbal Epimedium on the improvement of bone metabolic disorder through the induction of osteogenic differentiation from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells

Herbal Epimedium (HE) has been commonly used as a tonic, antirheumatic agent and in the treatment of bone-associated diseases including osteoporosis. Treatment for osteoporosis is important to increase bone mass density and maintain to balance of bone remodeling. The present study was performed to investigate the effects of HE on mouse bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (mBMMSC) proliferation and osteogenic differentiation, using MTT assays, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) detection and apoptosis and differentiation assays. HE was demonstrated to inhibit the proliferation of mBMMSCs up to 45.43±3.33% and to decrease the level of PCNA expression compared with untreated cells. HE also induced late apoptosis at 24 and 48 h after treatment up to 71.93 and 67.03%, respectively, while only 14.93% of untreated cells exhibited apoptosis. By contrast, HE induced differentiation of mBMMSCs into an osteogenic lineage at the beginning of three weeks after commencement of treatment. This suggested that HE is a candidate as an inducer of osteogenesis from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells, and additionally has potential for use in the treatment of bone metabolic disorders such as osteoporosis.