Recent advances in the multifaceted mechanisms of catalpol in treating osteoporosis

Abstract

Catalpol (CAT) is a landmark active ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine Rehmannia (TCT), also known as dehydroxybenzoate catalpone, which is a kind of iridoid terpene glycoside with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor and other biological activities. It can exert its anti-disease effect in a variety of ways. For some patients with chronic diseases, the application of azalea alcohol in rehmannia may bring more comprehensive and long-lasting efficacy. Studies have shown that the anti-disease effect of catalpol in osteoporosis (OP) is mainly achieved through various pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathways to promote osteogenic differentiation, and RANKL/RANK and other signaling pathways to inhibit osteoclastic differentiation. At present, there is a slight lack of analysis of the mechanism of action of catalpa alcohol in the treatment of osteoporosis, so this study comprehensively searched the literature on the mechanism of action of catalpa alcohol in the treatment of osteoporosis in various databases, and reviewed the research progress of its role and mechanism, to provide reference and theoretical basis for the further development and application of catalpol.

Keywords: catalpol; osteoclasts; osteogenesis; osteoporosis; pharmacological mechanisms.

FIGURE 1

The chemical structural formula of CAT (C₁₅H₂₂O₁₀).

FIGURE 2

Mechanisms by which CAT promotes osteoblast differentiation. This includes the regulatory roles of CAT in activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, Hedgehog signaling pathway, inflammatory signaling pathways, BMP signaling pathway, IGF-1/PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway, PKD1/Sirt1 signaling pathway, and their downstream targets, promoting osteogenic differentiation and inhibiting adipogenic differentiation through multiple regulatory mechanisms.

FIGURE 3

Mechanism of CAT inhibition of osteoclast differentiation. These include the regulatory mechanism between CAT initiating the RANKL/RANK signaling pathway through upstream signaling, the regulatory role between the Sirt 6/ERα/FasL signaling pathway and their downstream targets, inhibiting osteoclast differentiation, and intervening in the apoptosis process.

FIGURE 4

CAT has anti-osteoporotic effects through other pathways. Among them, CAT is involved in the mechanism research of regulating the course of osteoporosis through various pathways such as antioxidative stress injury, bone repair, antioxidant glucose deprivation injury, regulation of immune cell polarization, and promotion of osteogenesis-angiogenesis coupling.