Effect of Hwanggum (Scutellaria Radix) extract on ovariectomized osteoporotic rats

Hwanggum (Scutellaria Radix, SR) is the root of Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, a perennial herb. Osteoporotic animal models were set through ovariectomies and low calcium diets, administered SR extract and estrogen to the osteoporotic animal models, and compared changes in the osteometabolic indicators of the SR extract oral-administered group with that of the estrogen oral-administered group. The results show that Ovx-SR 50 group (oral-administered with 50 mg/kg BW/day of the SR extract), Ovx-SR 100 group (oral-administered with 100 mg/kg BW/day of the SR extract), and Ovx-Estrogen group (estrogen-administered group) had 3.8, 8.2, and 8.0% increases in femoral bone mineral density (BMD) of Sprague-Dawley, respectively, which are significant changes compared to the control group (Ovx). And lumbar spine BMD increased in the Ovx-SR 100 group by 5.5% in comparison with the control group, as much as the protective effect of estrogen in the Ovx-Estrogen group. Futhermore, SR extract significantly reduced the excretion of deoxypyridinoline in urine by 6 and 11.1% in Ovx-SR 50, Ovx-SR 100 group in comparison with the Ovx. Our conclusion is that the SR extract had positive effects on BMD and on the osteometabolic indicators of ovariectomized osteoporotic rats and it acted as a weak phytoestrogen.