‘Yang-invigorating’ Chinese tonifying herbs, which can increase mitochondrial ATP generation capacity (ATP-GC) both in vitro in cardiomyocytes and in vivo in rat hearts, may be used for promoting mitochondrial function. Psoralea Fructus (PF), a ‘Yang-invigorating’ Chinese tonifying herb, has long been used for healing bone fracture and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, which results from an imbalance of bone resorption and bone formation, has been shown to be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in bone cells. Bone resorption and bone formation, which is involved in bone remodeling, are carried out by osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively. To investigate whether the beneficial effect of Psoralea Fructus on osteoporosis is related to the enhancement of mitochondrial function,...[ Read more ]

‘Yang-invigorating’ Chinese tonifying herbs, which can increase mitochondrial ATP generation capacity (ATP-GC) both in vitro in cardiomyocytes and in vivo in rat hearts, may be used for promoting mitochondrial function. Psoralea Fructus (PF), a ‘Yang-invigorating’ Chinese tonifying herb, has long been used for healing bone fracture and osteoporosis. Osteoporosis, which results from an imbalance of bone resorption and bone formation, has been shown to be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in bone cells. Bone resorption and bone formation, which is involved in bone remodeling, are carried out by osteoclasts and osteoblasts, respectively. To investigate whether the beneficial effect of Psoralea Fructus on osteoporosis is related to the enhancement of mitochondrial function, an activity-guided fractionation of Psoralea Fructus was performed using ATP-GC assay as activity monitor. Four active components were isolated and three of them were structurally identified as psoralen, psoralidin and corylin. The unidentified component is named PFC4. Pharmacological studies indicated that all three identified active components (psoralen, psoralidin and corylin) stimulated osteoblast differentiation in osteoblasts, as assessed by alkaline phosphatase activity assay and calcium deposit assay. However, PFC4 produced no detectable effect on osteoblast differentiation. All the four active components did not produce any detectable changes in cell proliferation in osteoblasts. Taken together, the ability of psoralen, psoralidin and corylin to enhance mitochondrial ATP generation capacity is associated with the stimulation of cell differentiation in osteoblasts. The assignment of the cause-and-effect relationship between the enhancement of mitochondrial function and differentiation in osteoblasts awaits further investigation.