Effects of a Hot-Water Extract of Allium hookeri Roots on Bone Formation in Human Osteoblast-Like MG-63 Cells In Vitro and in Rats In Vivo

Abstract

<i>Allium hookeri</i> is a wild herb found mainly in the Himalayas, growing at altitudes of 1400-4200 m. <i>A. hookeri</i> is widely consumed as a vegetable and herbal medicine in Asia, but its effects on bone health have not been reported previously. This study investigated the effects of a hot-water extract of <i>A. hookeri</i> roots on bone formation. The hot-water extract significantly increased the proliferation of <i>in vitro</i> human osteoblast-like MG-63 cells and the stimulatory effects on osteoblast differentiation were noticeably greater for the hot-water extract than for daidzein (a positive control), as reflected by alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen content, and mineral deposition. Expression of the bone-remodeling marker osteocalcin production and bone microstructural parameters were significantly improved in Sprague-Dawley rats <i>in vivo</i> after oral treatment with the hot-water extract compared with their control (saline-administered) counterparts. The chemical compounds of the hot-water extract were characterized by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and alliin, sinapic acid, and ferulic acid, which exert beneficial effects on bone health, were identified. These findings indicate that <i>A. hookeri</i> can be used as a natural resource for increasing bone formation. This is the first report of the anabolic effects of <i>A. hookeri</i> extracts on bone formation <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i>.