Yigu decoction regulates plasma miRNA in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients: a randomized controlled trial.

{"sci_version": "1.2", "schema": "https://corpus.bntrg.co.uk/sci/1.0/sci.schema.json", "id": "pmid:39568587", "kind": "science-record", "revision": 4, "content_hash": "sha256:9a92c57aa24b9a0129eb5745bdf01248b000701b97868c76a0e1e8de59bfe6e5", "created_at": "2026-11-01T20:29:49Z", "updated_at": "2026-11-01T22:55:38Z", "generator": {"name": "corpus-assay-engine", "run_id": "reading-sci-2026-11-01"}, "paper": {"state": "complete", "title": "Yigu decoction regulates plasma miRNA in postmenopausal osteoporosis patients: a randomized controlled trial.", "doi": "10.3389/fphar.2024.1460906", "pmid": "39568587", "authors": ["Haifeng Chen", "Ruikun Zhang", "Guijin Li", "Kun Yan", "Ziqi Wu", "Yang Zhang", "Zhineng Chen", "Xinmiao Yao"], "journal": "Frontiers in pharmacology", "year": 2024, "abstract": "Background: Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) is a serious condition that affects elderly individuals. Our previous study revealed that Yigu decoction (YGD) effectively improved bone mineral density (BMD) in elderly individuals, but the mechanism underlying this effect remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationships among YGD, microRNAs (miRNAs), and bone metabolism by assessing the effects of YGD on the miRNA levels in patient plasma to provide a scientific basis for treating PMOP with YGD.\nMethods: In this clinical trial, 60 patients were randomly assigned to the YGD group or the control group (ratio of 1:1) and treated for 3 months. The primary outcome measure was BMD, and the secondary outcome measures included plasma miRNA levels, visual analogue scale (VAS) scores, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels, anti-tartrate acid phosphatase (TRACP-5b) levels and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores. We assessed the regulatory roles of miRNAs in PMOP patients by analysing publicly available data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Bioinformatics methods were also used to explore the mechanism by which YGD regulates miRNAs that are involved in bone metabolism.\nResults: Compared with those before treatment, the BMD, ALP levels, TRACP-5b levels, TCM syndrome scores and VAS scores improved in both groups after 3 months of treatment (P < 0.05). A total of 82 miRNAs differed between the groups. After analysing data from the GEO database, we confirmed that miR-133a-3p is the key molecule that mediates the effects of YGD intervention on PMOP. GO analysis of key genes suggested that gene enrichment was more pronounced in response to hormones, cellular response to growth factor stimulation, and positive regulation of physiological and metabolic processes. KEGG analysis revealed that these genes were enriched mainly in the PI3K-Akt, FOXO, and JAK-STAT pathways and other pathways. The results of the protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network analysis revealed that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), Caveolin-1 (Cav-1) and others were core proteins.\nConclusion: This study demonstrated that YGD is beneficial in the treatment of PMOP, ameliorating clinical symptoms and bone turnover indices. Moreover, the inhibition of miR-133a-3p expression may be the key mechanisms by which YGD regulates bone metabolism in the treatment of PMOP, although YGD regulates bone metabolism in a multitarget and multipathway manner.", "claims": [{"id": "claim-method", "statement": "When making comparisons between groups, a t-test for two independent samples is used if the normality test and chi-square test are satisfied. If the normality test is not satisfied, the Wilcoxon Man-Whitney U rank sum test will be used to compare the two samples. If the normality test is satisfied but not the chi-square test, two independent sample-corrected t-tests are used.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39568587", "locator": "sections[18] \"2.10 Data analysis\" paragraph 2", "quote": "When making comparisons between groups, a t-test for two independent samples is used if the normality test and chi-square test are satisfied. If the normality test is not satisfied, the Wilcoxon Man-Whitney U rank sum test will be used to compare the two samples. If the normality test is satisfied but not the chi-square test, two independent sample-corrected t-tests are used."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-data-access", "statement": "The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The names of the repository/repositories and accession number(s) can be found in the article/Supplementary Material.", "kind": "methodological", "target": null, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39568587", "locator": "sections[28] \"Data availability statement\" paragraph 2", "quote": "The datasets presented in this study can be found in online repositories. The names of the repository/repositories and accession number(s) can be found in the article/Supplementary Material."}], "state": "complete"}, {"id": "claim-target-result", "statement": "YGD improved clinical symptoms and bone-turnover indices in postmenopausal osteoporosis, with miR-133a-3p inhibition proposed as a key mechanism, although no significant between-group difference in lumbar spine BMD was observed after three months.", "kind": "quantitative", "target": {"value": 0.05, "unit": "p-value", "tolerance": null, "source": "There was no significant difference between the group (P> 0.05)."}, "evidence": [{"asset": "source:pmid:39568587", "locator": "sections[0] \"Abstract\" paragraph 4", "quote": "This study demonstrated that YGD is beneficial in the treatment of PMOP, ameliorating clinical symptoms and bone turnover indices."}, {"asset": "source:pmid:39568587", "locator": "sections[0] \"Abstract\" paragraph 4", "quote": "Moreover, the inhibition of miR-133a-3p expression may be the key mechanisms by which YGD regulates bone metabolism in the treatment of PMOP, although YGD regulates bone metabolism in a multitarget and multipathway manner."}, {"asset": "source:pmid:39568587", "locator": "sections[22] \"3.2 Primary outcome\" paragraph 2", "quote": "There was no significant difference between the group (P> 0.05)."}], "state": "complete"}], "gaps": []}, "experiment": {"state": "partial", "objective": "YGD improved clinical symptoms and bone-turnover indices in postmenopausal osteoporosis, with miR-133a-3p inhibition proposed as a key mechanism, although no significant between-group difference in lumbar spine BMD was observed after three months.", "steps": [{"id": "read_published_estimate", "order": 1, "name": "Read the published estimate from the source", "kind": "other", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The claim, method and evidence span published with the source article.", "duration_hours": null, "parameters": {}, "inputs": ["source:pmid:39568587"], "outputs": ["the published estimate and its evidence"], "instruments": [], "reagents": []}, {"id": "obtain_source_data", "order": 2, "name": "Obtain the source data from the named repository", "kind": "data-preparation", "state": "complete", "blocked_on": null, "description": "The GEO series accession resolves and its sample accessions are listed. 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Methods: In this clinical trial, 60 patients were randomly assigned to the YGD group or the control group (ratio", "y design This study employed a single-blind, randomized controlled trial design. Participants were rigorously selecte", "hejiang Chinese Medical University. Eligible patients were randomly assigned (1:1) to either the YGD group or the control"], "order_basis": "paper_text_order:36", "id": "assay:1"}, {"role": "analysis", "definition_id": "group_comparison", "definition_version": "f2132e96ae6c7a4e", "definition_digest": null, "required_operations": [], "support_state": "partial", "source_hashes": {"dsl_catalogue": "f2132e96ae6c7a4e"}, "confidence": 1.0, "evidence": ["When making comparisons between groups, a t-test for two independent samples is used if the normality test and chi-square test are satisfied. If the normality test is not satisfied, the Wilcoxon Man-Whitney U rank sum test will be used to compare the two samples. If the normality test is satisfied but not the chi-square test, two independent sample-corrected t-tests are used."], "order_basis": "consumes_earlier_output", "id": "assay:2"}]}