Effect of Cornus officinalis extract on the differentiation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells

Cornus officinalis has been widely used as herbal medicine exerting various pharmacological actions such as diuretic, anti-allergic, hypotensive and antibiotic activities. Thus we studied the effect of Cornus officinalis on the proliferation, differentiation and matrix mineralization of MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cell line. To do the experiments, Cornus officinalis extract (COE) was prepared using ethanol at different concentrations. The cytotoxic effect and the osteogenic differentiation were examined using MTT assay, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, ALP staining, Alizarin red S staining and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for osteogenic differentiation markers such as collagen type I (Col-I), ostoecalcin (OCN). The results indicated that there was no effect on cell proliferation on both 1st and 3rd days after treatment in MC3T-E1 cells. The level of ALP, Col-I mRNA, OCN mRNA and mineralized nodule were significantly higher in COE treated group than no treated group. Our results suggest that the COE promotes the osteoblast differentiation and mineralization without observable cytotoxicity. Therefore, it may play an important role in osteoblastic bone formation, and may possibly to be an effective measure for bone regeneration.