초록
Korean safflower (Carthami Flos) seed has been known to have healing effects on both bone fracture and osteoporosis. On the base of such a notice, this experiment was carried out to explore the effects of safflower seed on bone formation and bone repair. In addition, the healing mechanism was evaluated by analysing serum after feeding the seed to experimental. animals. The effect of Korean safflower seed were evaluated with 40 rats,3-month old. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats composed of 20 male and 20 female were underwent unilateral tibial defect and then fastened with unilateral fixators. The operated rats were divided into two groups depending on the composition of diet, such as positive control group fed normal diet (C-OP group) and safflower seed group fed 30% of safflower seed diet and 70% of normal diet (S-OP group). Postoperative radiographys were taken once in 2 weeks to evaluate callus formation for operated groups. In addition, a possible protein spots involved in bone recovery were examined using 2-Dimensional Gel Electrophoresis (2-DE). The comparison of the radiography between C-OP and S-OP group were showed that the safflower seed diet appeared to stimulate the formation of callus in the rat. On the images of 2-BE, it was able to identify possible five protein spots, having pl from 4 to 5 and molecular weight range from 24 to 26 kDa, involved in bone formation and repair, since no differing protein spots were found the two between groups except the five spots. No differences were observed between two groups before operation, but clear and bigger protein spots were observed from the S-OP group compared with C-OP group on 6 and 9 weeks post operation. These protein spots were, however, showed similar sizes and densities between two groups in 12 weeks later. The transformation of protein spots was suggested that these protein spots were involved in bone formation and recovery, in addition safflower seed might induce the formation of factors and activate these factors. In conclusion, this study suggest that safflower seed influence a variety of factors in the course of bone formation or the periods of remedy.