Current, new and future treatments of osteoporosis

Abstract

Osteoporosis as a common chronic disease is challenging human health. Although different therapeutic options are routinely used for prevention/treatment of osteoporosis, their side effects and benefits are under question. Increasing our knowledge about signaling pathways in bone and osteocytes as well as osteoblasts and osteoclasts will help us in designing new therapeutic modalities for osteoporosis. In the present study, all new therapeutic measures of osteoporosis have been reviewed. For this purpose, search engines like Pubmed, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar were searched and all relevant articles were found. The study was limited to the year 1998-2010. Bisphosphonates are the cornerstone of osteoporosis treatment, but there are not enough relevant studies that investigated their equivalencies in comparison with each other or the other medications. Therefore, medication selection is empirical and subjective. Furthermore, no eminent study has compared certain combinations. There are new hopes for treatment of osteoporosis, which are more specific with less harm. Our results show that new and emerging therapies are more potent and target specified which more individualize osteoporosis treatment; however, more investigations on their safety and efficacy in comparison with current medications are highly recommended.

Cistanche deserticolaextract increases bone formation in osteoblasts

“…Although the mechanisms of osteoporosis are not entirely clear, they are likely related to the decreased availability, or decreased effects, of bone growth factors, such as ALP, BMP‐2 and OPN. These three factors play important roles in the process of bone formation and remodelling, [31] and it has been well documented that stimulation of osteoblast cell differentiation is characterized mainly by increased expression of ALP, BMP‐2 and OPN [32] . In this study, we found that CD extract increased ALP, BMP‐2 and OPN expression and enhanced bone mineralization.…”

Si-Wu-tang extract stimulates bone formation through PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signaling pathways in osteoblasts

“…However, they are likely correlated with decreased availability or activity of bone growth factors, including ALP, BMP-2, and OPN. These 3 factors play important roles in the process of bone formation and remodeling [23], and it has been well discussed that stimulation of osteoblast cell differentiation is characterized mainly by increased expression of ALP, BMP-2, and OPN [32]. In this study, we found that SWT extract increased ALP, BMP-2, and OPN expression and enhanced bone mineralization.…”

Effects of OsteoKing on osteoporotic rabbits

“…Current drug treatments for the prevention and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis include estrogen, selective estrogen receptor modulators, calcitonin and bisphosphonates ( 4 , 6 , 7 ). Although these agents are effective in preventing bone loss, they are not the ideal treatments due to their adverse side effects on the breast and the gastrointestinal and cardiovascular systems, as well as increasing the risk of endometrial or ovarian cancer ( 4 , 8 – 12 ). Novel drugs based on medicinal herbs and natural products, and which possess fewer side effects, are urgently required ( 13 ).…”