Effect of puerarin on bone formation

Puerarin is one of the major phytoestrogens isolated from Pueraria lobata, a Chinese medicine known as Gegen. Our laboratory compared the amount of new bone produced by puerarin in collagen matrix (carrier) to that produced by the collagen matrix alone.

Eighteen bone defects, 5mm by 10mm were created in the parietal bone of nine New Zealand White rabbits. In the experimental group, six defects were grafted with puerarin solution mixed with collagen matrix. In the control groups, six defects were grafted with collagen matrix alone (active control) and six were left empty (passive control). Animals were killed on day 14 and the defects were dissected and prepared for histological assessment. Serial sections were cut across each defect. No new bone was formed in the passive control group. Quantitative analysis of new bone formation was made on 100 sections (10 sections in each defect, in five defects randomly selected in each of the experimental group and active control group) using image analysis.

A total of 554% more new bone was present in defects grafted with puerarin in collagen matrix than those grafted with the collagen matrix alone.

Puerarin in collagen matrix has the effect of increasing new bone formation locally and can be used for bone grafting or for bone induction often required in surgery.