International Journal of Biology and Life Sciences · Apr 29, 2026
Effects of Erjing Pill on Serum Hormone Levels and Bone Histomorphology in Rats with Osteoporosis
By Tu S, Wu H, Lin G et al.
Objective: To investigate the effects of Erjing Pill on serum sex hormone levels, bone mineral density, and learning and memory function in rats with osteoporosis, and to provide experimental evidence for its potential role in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis and related cognitive impairment. Methods: Female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned to a sham-operated group, model group, alendronate sodium group, and Erjing Pill group. Except for the sham-operated group, all rats underwent bilateral ovariectomy to establish a postmenopausal osteoporosis model. One week after surgery, rats in the treatment groups received alendronate sodium or Erjing Pill intervention for 12 weeks. After treatment, femoral bone mineral density and bone mineral content were measured by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT). Histopathological changes in femoral bone tissue were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Serum levels of estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Learning and memory function were evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Results: Compared with the sham-operated group, rats in the model group showed decreased serum E2 levels, abnormal changes in LH, FSH, and GnRH levels, significantly reduced bone mineral density, and marked histopathological damage in femoral bone tissue, characterized by sparse and thinned trabeculae, disorganized arrangement, and partial trabecular fracture (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, both the alendronate sodium group and the Erjing Pill group showed varying degrees of improvement in serum sex hormone levels, increased bone mineral density, and alleviated bone histopathological damage. Notably, Erjing Pill exhibited significant effects in regulating hormone levels and improving bone microstructure (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Erjing Pill can improve sex hormone imbalance, increase bone mineral density, and attenuate histopathological bone damage in osteoporotic rats. Its protective effects may be related to endocrine regulation and delayed bone loss. Erjing Pill may represent a promising traditional Chinese medicine intervention for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.