The Mixture of Centella Asiatica Extract and Portulaca Oleracea Extract Promotes Longitudinal Bone Growth in Adolescent Male Sprague-Dawley Rats

FSG-CA is a mixture of Centella asiatica extract and Portulaca oleracea extract. In previous in vitro studies, FSG-CA was shown to enhance osteoblastic activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of FSG-CA on longitudinal bone growth in vivo. Male adolescent SD rats were divided into four groups and administered FSG-CA (50 or 100 mg/kg BW/day), recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH, positive control), or vehicle (control) for 5 weeks. Longitudinal bone growth rate was measured using tetracycline labeling. Growth plate (GP) height was measured using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Serum GH, insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, and IGF-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. In the liver, mRNA expression of IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 was analyzed by RT-PCR. IGF-1 and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2 in the tibial GP were analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. Oral administration of FSG-CA significantly increased endochondral bone formation and proliferation and tibial GP height. FSG-CA increased IGF-1 and IGFBP-3 mRNA expression in the liver and increased IGF-1 concentration in serum. FSG-CA also upregulated IGF-1 and BMP-2 expression in the tibial GP. These results suggest that FSG-CA may help increase longitudinal bone growth during puberty by utilizing the GH - IGF-1 pathway.