Investigations on the effects of a Chinese herbal formula, composed of Epimedium, Ligustrum and Psoralea (ELP), and its major ingredients on bone metabolism and calcium homeostasis.

Wong Yin-Mei. ; Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. ; Includes bibliographical references (leaves 119-135). ; Abstracts in English and Chinese. ; Abstract (English version) --- p.i ; Abstract (Chinese version) --- p.iii ; Publications --- p.v ; Acknowledgements --- p.vi ; Table of contents --- p.viii ; List of tables --- p.xi ; List of figures --- p.xii ; Abbreviations --- p.xiv ; Chapter Chapter 1. --- Introduction --- p.1 ; Chapter 1.1 --- Osteoporosis --- p.1 ; Chapter 1.1.1 --- Consensus statement --- p.1 ; Chapter 1.1.2 --- Epidemiology and outcomes --- p.4 ; Chapter 1.1.2.1 --- Hip fractures --- p.4 ; Chapter 1.1.2.2 --- Vertebral fractures --- p.5 ; Chapter 1.1.2.3 --- Wrist fractures --- p.7 ; Chapter 1.1.3 --- Postmenopausal osteoporosis --- p.8 ; Chapter 1.1.3.1 --- Pathogenesis --- p.8 ; Chapter 1.1.3.1.1 --- Genetics --- p.11 ; Chapter 1.1.3.1.2 --- Bone remodeling --- p.14 ; Chapter 1.1.3.1.3 --- Calcium homeostasis --- p.21 ; Chapter 1.1.3.1.4 --- Life style 一 nutrition and exercise --- p.26 ; Chapter 1.1.3.2 --- Current pharmacological treatment --- p.27 ; Chapter 1.1.3.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.27 ; Chapter 1.1.3.2.2 --- Limitations --- p.31 ; Chapter 1.2 --- Traditional Chinese medicine --- p.33 ; Chapter 1.2.1 --- The Kidney --- p.33 ; Chapter 1.2.2 --- Kidney-tonifying herbs --- p.33 ; Chapter 1.3 --- Aim of the studies --- p.36 ; Chapter Chapter 2. --- Materials and methods --- p.38 ; Chapter 2.1 --- Kidney-tonifying herbs and herbal formula --- p.38 ; Chapter 2.1.1 --- Sources --- p.38 ; Chapter 2.1.2 --- Herbal extract preparation --- p.38 ; Chapter 2.2 --- Animal study --- p.40 ; Chapter 2.2.1 --- Reagents --- p.40 ; Chapter 2.2.2 --- Animal care --- p.40 ; Chapter 2.2.3 --- Herbs and herbal formula preparations for animal studies --- p.41 ; Chapter 2.2.4 --- Experimental design --- p.41 ; Chapter 2.2.5 --- Gene expression study --- p.44 ; Chapter 2.2.5.1 --- Tissue preparation --- p.44 ; Chapter 2.2.5.2 --- Isolation of total RNA --- p.45 ; Chapter 2.2.5.3 --- ...