Overview of bisphosphonates

Parasitological cure of Chagas disease: is it possible? Is it relevant?

“…Thus PPi-metabolism is a new validated biochemical target in T. cruzi. This was confirmed by the observation that pamidronate, alendronate and risedronate, FDA-approved non-metabolizable pyrophosphate analogs (bisphosphonates) which are currently used in humans for the treatment of bone resorption disorders (Rogers et al 1997, Licata 1997, Rodan 1998, blocked the activity of acidocalcisomal pyrophosphatase and selectively inhibited the intracellular proliferation of T. cruzi amastigotes and T. gondii tachyzoites. Furthermore, pamidronate was shown to be able to profoundly suppress the proliferation of T. cruzi in a murine model of acute Chagas disease.…”

Effect of the cumulative dose of zoledronic acid on the pathogenesis of osteonecrosis of the jaws

“…In addition, BPs are reported to exert direct antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects on cancer cells, thereby reducing bone metastases (9,10). Furthermore, BPs alter angiogenesis (11) and signal transduction between osteoclasts and osteoblasts (12). Depending on the presence or absence of a nitrogen atom, nitrogen-containing and non-nitrogen-containing BPs differ in the mechanism of action exerted on osteoclasts (13,14).…”

Growth inhibition and synergistic induction of apoptosis by zoledronate and dexamethasone in human myeloma cell lines

“…3 Bisphosphonates (BPs) are commonly used in the treatment of diseases characterized by bone resorption because of their ability to interfere with osteoclast recruitment, differentiation and action, and to induce apoptotic cell death of these cells. [4][5][6] Recent reports have showed that BPs may also have a direct antiproliferative effect and induce apoptosis in human myeloma cell lines in vitro 7 and in plasma cells isolated from patients with MM. 8 Clinical studies have suggested that BPs may induce a reduction of the tumor burden 9 and may prolong the survival of MM patients.…”