Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2016 Feb 27;21(3):239.
doi: 10.3390/molecules21030239.

Natural Products from Chinese Medicines with Potential Benefits to Bone Health

Chun-Tao Che  1 , Man Sau Wong  2 , Christopher Wai Kei Lam  3
Affiliations
Review

Natural Products from Chinese Medicines with Potential Benefits to Bone Health

Chun-Tao Che et al. Molecules. .

Abstract

Osteoporosis is a progressive, systemic bone disorder characterized by loss of bone mass and microstructure, leading to reduced bone strength and increased risk of fracture. It is often associated with reduced quality of life and other medical complications. The disease is common in the aging population, particularly among postmenopausal women and patients who receive long-term steroidal therapy. Given the rapid growth of the aging population, increasing life expectancy, the prevalence of bone loss, and financial burden to the healthcare system and individuals, demand for new therapeutic agents and nutritional supplements for the management and promotion of bone health is pressing. With the advent of global interest in complementary and alternative medicine and natural products, Chinese medicine serves as a viable source to offer benefits for the improvement and maintenance of bone health. This review summarizes the scientific information obtained from recent literatures on the chemical ingredients of Chinese medicinal plants that have been reported to possess osteoprotective and related properties in cell-based and/or animal models. Some of these natural products (or their derivatives) may become promising leads for development into dietary supplements or therapeutic drugs.

Keywords: Chinese medicine; anti-osteoporosis; bone health; natural product; osteoprotection.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flavones and Flavonols Reported to Possess Osteoprotective Property.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Phenylpropanol Derivatives and Lignans Reported to Possess Osteoprotective Property.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Triterpenoids reported to possess osteoprotective property.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Miscellaneous compound types reported to possess osteoprotective property.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Flavanones Reported to Possess Osteoprotective Property.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Isoflavonoids Reported to Possess Osteoprotective Property.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Monoterpenoids, Sesquiterpenoids and Diterpenoids Reported to Possess Osteoprotective Property.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. International Osteoporosis Foundation: Facts and Statistics about Osteoporosis and Its Impact. [(accessed on 14 December 2015)]. Available online: http://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-and-statistics.html.
    1. Korpi-Steiner N., Milhorn D., Hammett-Stabler C. Osteoporosis in men. Clin. Biochem. 2014;47:950–959. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2014.03.026. - DOI - PubMed
    1. National Osteoporosis Foundation Prevalence Report. [(accessed on 4 December 2015)]. Available online: http://www.nof.org/advocacy/resources/prevalencereport.
    1. Management of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: 2010 position statement of the North American menopause society. Menopause. 2010;17:25–54. - PubMed
    1. Tella S.H., Gallagher J.C. Prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. J. Steroid Biochem. Mol. Biol. 2014;142:155–170. doi: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2013.09.008. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources