Alternative therapies for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a medical condition that affects millions of men and women. People with this condition have low bone mass, which places them at increased risk for bone fracture after minor trauma. The surgeries and treatments required to repair and heal bone fractures involve long recovery periods and can be expensive. Because osteoporosis occurs frequently in the elderly, the financial burden it places on society is likely to be large. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has approved several drugs for use in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. However, all of the currently available agents have severe side effects that limit their efficacy and underscore the urgent need for new treatment options. One promising approach is the development of alternative (nonpharmaceutical) strategies for bone maintenance, as well as for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. This review examines the currently available nonpharmaceutical alternatives that have been evaluated in in vitro and in vivo studies. Certain plants from the following families have shown the greatest benefits on bone: Alliceae, Asteraceae, Thecaceae, Fabaceae, Oleaceae, Rosaceae, Ranunculaceae, Vitaceae, Zingiberaceae. The present review discusses the most promising findings from studies of these plant families.

Effects of total flavonoids from Drynariae Rhizoma prevent bone loss in vivo and in vitro

“…It is a major public health problem worldwide, which requires effective medicine or approaches for prevention and treatment (Banu et al, 2012). In particular, postmenopausal women are at high risk of developing osteoporosis due to significant alterations in bone metabolism associated with estrogen deficiency.…”

Wnt-Signaling-Mediated Antiosteoporotic Activity of Porcine Placenta Hydrolysates in Ovariectomized Rats

“…Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has proven to be efficacious in preventing bone loss and reducing the incidence of skeletal fractures in postmenopausal women [3] but has several side effects that reduce its popularity [4]. However, remedies other than HRT have been used to prevent and treat postmenopausal osteoporosis [5–7]. For example, administration of placenta extracts or hydrolysates from human or other animals by oral or subcutaneous injection [6, 8] has been used to treat osteoporosis.…”

Effects of silk fibroin hydrolysate on bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats

“…as an alternative strategy for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis (Banu et al, 2012). The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether hydrolyzed SF is beneficial against menopausal bone metabolism in ovariectomized rats.…”