Effects of Yishengukang decoction on expression of bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen, and carboxyterminal cross-linked telepeptide of type I collagen in malignant tumor patients with bone metastasis

Abstract OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of Yishengukang decoction on the expression of the metabolic bone markers, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), carboxyterminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), and carboxyterminal cross-linked telepeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), in cancer patients with bone metastasis. METHODS Patients ( n = 180) were divided into three groups: (a) bone metastasis patients treated with Yishengukang and pamidronate disodium injection (treatment group, n = 60); (b) bone metastasis patients treated with pamidronate disodium injection alone (control group, n = 60); (c) cancer patients without metastatic bone lesion (non-bone metastasis group, n = 60). Serum levels of the metabolic markers BAP, PICP, and ICTP were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay pre- and post-therapy. RESULTS A significant decrease in serum BAP level was observed in the treatment group compared with the control group. However there were no significant differences in serum levels of PICP and ICTP before or after treatment compared with the control group. CONCLUSION Yishengukang decoction combined with pamidronate disodium injection reduced serum BAP level to a greater extent that pamidronate disodium injection alone. Furthermore, the combined therapy was more beneficial in regulating imbalanced bone metabolism after bone metastasis, and may represent the molecular mechanism underpinning the effects of Yishengukang decoction.