Effects of pollen from Typha angustata on the osteoinductive potential of demineralized bone matrix in rat calvarial defects.

Typha angustata Bony et Chaub. is a traditional Chinese medicine, commonly used in China for a variety of clinical disorders, including atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, uterus contraction, and wound healing. The effect of the pollen of Typha angustata on the bone inductive capacity of demineralized bone matrix is studied here. Demineralized bone matrix soaked with saline solution was implanted in 8-mm defects in rat calvaria. After surgery all rats received a 0.2-ml injection in the defect sites of Typha angustata extract, plasma, or saline 3 times weekly for 2 to 4 weeks. The repair of bone defects was evaluated by radiography and by histology at 2 and 4 weeks after surgery. Results indicated that the 3% Typha angustata extract and demineralized bone matrix combination produced substantially more bone than demineralized bone matrix alone, while plasma plus demineralized bone matrix induced the same amount of bone formation as Typha angustata extract plus demineralized bone matrix. The osteoinductive potential increased in a dose dependent manner, 3% Typha angustata extract plus demineralized bone matrix produced more bone than the 0.6% Typha angustata extract plus demineralized bone matrix at 2 and 4 weeks. This study demonstrates that an extract of the pollen of Typha angustata is capable of enhancing the osteoinductive potential of demineralized bone matrix.