Artemisiae Scopariae Herba (Yinchen) suppresses ferroptosis in osteoporosis mice via the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway

With the aging of the population, the incidence of postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is increasing. Artemisiae Scopariae Herba (Yinchen, YC) extracts have been reported to promote osteogenic differentiation and bone formation, but the specific mechanism is still unclear. Aim of the study: To investigate the effect and mechanism of YC on PMOP. Methods: Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to determine the main potential mechanism of YC, and an ovariectomized (OVX) mouse model was established to evaluate the effects of YC on PMOP and to explore its potential mechanisms. First, the therapeutic effect of YC on PMOP was assessed by CT bone analysis, pathological observation and ELISA detection. Combined with serum ELISA, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining, the potential key anti-PMOP pathway of YC was further explored.