A Comprehensive Study on Herba Epimedium-derived extracellular nanovesicles as a prospective therapy for alveolar bone regeneration in postmenopausal osteoporosis

Abstract

Natural products rich in phytoestrogens, particularly those derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) herb, have garnered increased attention. Plants-derived extracellular vesicles are emerging as a promising strategy in cell communication and disease defense. Here, a comprehensive study on Herba Epimedium-derived extracellular nanovesicles (EELNs) for postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment was studied. The results showed that EELNs exhibited a typical exosome morphology with an average diameter of 130 nm, and were rich in specific small-molecule metabolites and miRNAs. Network pharmacology and KEGG analysis highlighted the therapeutic potential in osteoporosis through multiple classical osteogenic pathways. In vitro experiments proved EELNs potentiated osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs by targeting Pi3k/Akt/mTOR pathways. In vivo, EELN-loaded hydroxyapatite nano-whiskers composites (E-GW) were used to repair mandibular defects in OVX-induced osteoporosis rat model. The results indicate that EELNs is a promising therapeutic agent for the regeneration and bone mass maintainence of alveolar defects in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients, and offer potential perspectives for nature products in postmenopausal osteoporosis treatment.