Zeitschrift für Trauma und Behandlung

ZJXG Decoction Promotes the Expression of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-7 to Enhance Fracture Healing In Rats

Abstract

Yunliang Guo, Xiangjie Wang, Yuexing Pan, Zhixian Du and Zhen Zhou

The aim is to investigate the effects of Zhuang Jin Xu Gu Decoction (ZJXG Decoction) on femoral fracture healing in rats. Femur fractures were generated in fifty male adult Wistar rats by cutting femur transversely at middle point. ZJXG Decoction was administered orally after surgery for 7-14 d. Radiological evaluation or X-ray imaging analysis indicated that the fibrous callus tissue at the femoral fracture-end increased and the fracture line became fuzzy at 7-14 d following treatment with ZJXG Decoction. Hematoxtlin-Eosin (HE) staining showed that the fibrous-granular tissue at the fracture-end changed gradually to fibrous, cartilaginous and osseous callus tissues. immunohistochemical staining and Enzyme Linked Immunobsorbent Assay (ELISA) results showed that BMP-7 in the fibroblasts and osteoblasts of callus and its serum level increased significantly 7-14 d following treatment with ZJXG Decoction. It is concluded that ZJXG Decoction could enhance the fracture healing by up-regulating the expression of BMP-7 in fibroblasts and osteoblasts of callus in rats.