Carthamus tinctorius L. Increases BMP-2 Gene Expression during Bone Fracture Healing in Rats

Carthamus tinctorius L.is known to improve fracture healing, and bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are associated with the formation and healing process of bone. BMP-2 and BMP-7 are two of the most important BMPs during the bone healing process. Human osteosarcoma MG63 cells and rats were used to determine the effects of Carthamus tinctorius L. extract (CTE) on BMP-2 gene expression. BMP-2 gene expression by CTE treatment in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells was not different from the control group until 8 hours of incubation, but was significantly higher, by 31%, than that of the control group at 16 hr of incubation. Microscopic findings of the 9th rib 3 weeks after fracture showed typical rimming of the osteoblast and immature bone formation in control and CTE groups. BMP-2 gene expression by in situ hybridization was remarkably increased by a CTE-supplemented diet in the fracture group compared to the control group. In conclusion, Carthamus tinctorius L. increased BMP-2 gene expression in human osteosarcoma cells and fractured bone. But further studies would be needed to elucidate the effect of CTE on fracture healing in vivo because our results did not show any evidence of healing improvement histologically $3^{rd}$ week after fracture.