Effects of Angelica sinensis on longitudinal bone growth rate in adolescent female rats

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of A.sinensis on longitudinal bone growth rate in adolescent female rats.METHODS A.sinensis was extracted with 30% EtOH for 3h at 90℃in a reflux apparatus.Female Sprague-Dawley rats(33d-old)were randomly divided into three groups:control(vehicle),recombinant human growth hormone(rhGH;20μg·kg-1·d-1),and A.sinensis(300mg·kg-1·d-1).A.sinensis extracts or vehicle was administered orally twice daily for 4d.Longitudinal bone growth rate in newly synthesized bone was observed using tetracycline labeling(20mg·kg-1,intraperitoneally).RESULTS A.sinensis significantly increased longitudinal bone growth rate in adolescent female rats at 300mg·kg-1(6.1%,357.34±32.67μm·d-1)compared to control group(336.80±14.47μm·d-1).CONCLUSION A.sinensis extract significantly increased longitudinal bone growth rate and growth plate height in adolescent female rats.These results suggest that A.sinensis could be helpful for increasing bone growth rate in children who have growth retardation.