Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia

Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia treatment. Traditional Chinese medicine holds that the bone building is related to the kidney. So it is not surprising that one of TCM's kidney herbs would be used for the treatment of excessive bone loss.

What is especially useful for those who are used to Western scientific medicine is knowing that the use of this Chinese medicine traditional herb has been subject to scientific research. There are now at least 9 articles in peer reviewed scientific journals concerning the effectiveness of Bushen.

 Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia Scientific Studies

1. 1997  "Preliminary clinical study on prevention of bone loss in postmenopausal women with kidney invigoration" by Shen L, Du JY, Yang JY. of Xiehe Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.                                        The authors stated "The effect of Bushen Migu Ye (BSMGY) on preventing the bone loss in postmenopausal women was observed. 43 healthy women with the menopause within 5 years were randomly divided into the treated and control groups, which were basically similar in age and menopausal time. BSMGY and Rhizoma Dioscoreae decoction was given orally in two groups.                               Some biochemical parameters related to bone metabolism, serum estradiol and forearm bone density were taken before and after treatment. The results showed that 5 months after BSMGY treatment, the ulnar and radial bone mineral content was higher than that of pretreatmental value (P < 0.05), while in control group this index was continually decreased. The change in bone density were also significant different (P < 0.05). It seems that BSMGY is able to prevent the bone loss in postmenopausal women.                                                                                       In the treated group, ratio of fasting urinary calcium and hydroxyproline to creatinine was lower than that of before treatment and the control group (P < 0.05); the concentration of serum alkaline phosphatase had no significant difference (P < 0.05). This preliminary study suggested that one of the therapeutic mechanism of BSMGY was probably due to declining of bone resorption, without affecting the bone formation in postmenopausal women."

Here are some additional  reports of Traditional Chinese Medicine: Bushen Chinese herb to tonify Kidney.
More Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia studies                         


2. 1995 - "Clinical study on effect of bushen jiangu capsule on postmenopausal osteoporosis" by Ding GZ, Zhang ZL, Zhou Y.of Union Hospital, Tongji Medical University, Wuhan.These researchers used a different form of the herb and tested its efficacy against calcium in a doubled blind study for 3 months. Here is their abstract:"The therapeutic effect of Kidney Tonifying principle and Bushen Jiangu (BSJG) capsule on postmenopausal osteoporosis (17 cases) was observed and compared with calcium treatment group (17 cases) in double-blind method. The result showed that 3 months after treatment with BSJG capsule, the symptoms of 92.85% patients were improved, and 6 months after treatment, the bone density (BD) of lumbar vertebra of 68.8% patients was significantly higher than that of before treatment, but the BD of control group was lower (P < 0.05). This suggested that BSJG capsule could prevent and improve postmenopausal osteoporosis. The therapeutic mechanisms probably is improving."
3. 2001 - Researchers at Louyang Insitute of Tradtional Chinese medicine tested the use of Bushen Yijing Capsule on the cancellous (trabecular bone) in ovariectomize induced osteoporosis rats. They concluded that these capsules could "significantly raise the bone density, increase the contents of calcium, phosphorus and organic substances, and improve the biomechanical properties of the lumbovertebral bone in osteoporosis rats." One of the significant features of this study in the concentration on cancellous bone since that is the inner spongy network that often becomes less dense in Osteopenia and Osteoporosis. End of 2001 study: Bushen Osteporosis Osteopenia.
4. 2003 - There was another study - this time with male rats. Again the results were promising. See: "Study on efficacy of 'bushen huoxue liquid' in male rats with osteoporosis induced by dexamethasone and its mechanism" by Zhang R, Chen K, Lu D, Ma X, Hou L, Zhu X, Peng K, Wang T. of Pharmacy College, Jinan University, Guangzhou.
5. 2004 - YD Wang published the first of three studies (2004, 2005,2009) done with different colleagues about Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia. Theses studies showed that thisherb stimulates Osteoblasts (bone building cells) while supressing the work of Osteclasts (bone removing cells).
6. 2007 - Sun P, Huang Z, Cai DH, He L. of the Department of Endocrinology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, China published a study that concluded: "This Chinese prescription can stimulate bone formation and reduce bone loss in female rats subjected to simulated weightlessness."Such results could have implications for those who are immobile or on bed rest for periodsof time.

What I find interesting about these Bushen Osteoporosis studies is that Bushen appears to both stimulate the osteoblasts to produce new bone and dampen the activity of the osteoclasts in removing old bone. bone.                                                 Western pharmaceuticals such as the bisphosphonates (Fosamx, Boniva, Acotnel, Aclasta, Reclast, Zometa and Calcitonin) only do the latter, dampen the activity of osteoclasts in removing of old bone.)

End of Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia Studies

Final comment

I realize that many reading this page do not have access to a practitioner of Traditional Chinese Medicine or a shop with  Chinese herbal medicine.  I have noticed a increase in listings of TCM practitioners in cities with an Asian population, in university towns and in areas where there is a growing interest in 'green and organic products'.

International travel, the  emigration of TCM practitioners to other countries AND the number of non-Chinese studying Chinese herbal medicine may make it possiblefor you to obtain professional advice...and use of this remedy.

Finally, I think it is important in a global economy to realize what research is being done around the world...even if I am not using the products myself. It appears that Bushen Osteoporosis Osteopenia may be a very promising treatment.

Read about Acupuncture rather than Bushen Osteopenia