Abstract: In order to investigate the effect of Echinacoside on the OPN mRNA and protein expression of rat osteoblasts cultured in vitro, the osteoblasts were derived from calvariae of neonatal rat and digested by the trypsin and collagenase. The third-generation of cultured osteoblasts were exposed to different concentrations of Echinacoside, while took oestrogen as positive control. Total RNA and protein were prepared from osteoblasts after 24, 48 and 72 h respectively. And the change from OPN mRNA was dected by fluorescent quantitation PCR,OPN protein was dected by Western blotting. The results indicated that different concentrations of Echinacoside had increased the expression of osteoblast OPN mRNA, especially 5?10^-4 and 5?10^-5 mg/mL Echinacoside significantly or extremly significantly up-regulated the expression of OPN mRNA at 24, 48 and 72 h. Secretion of OPN protein was more than control group after 48 h addition of Echinacoside.The conclusion was that Echinacoside significantly promoted the expression of OPN mRNA of osteoblasts, while had the trend of raised role for OPN protein.

Key words: Echinacoside; osteoblasts; OPN 