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Review
. 2025 Jun 30;13(7):1597.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13071597.

Nanotechnology in Osteogenesis and Inflammation Management: Metal-Organic Frameworks, Metal Complexes, and Biomaterials for Bone Restoration

Bogdan Huzum  1   2 , Ionut Iulian Lungu  3 , Ovidiu Alexa  1   2 , Paul Dan Sirbu  1   2 , Viorel Dan Cionca  2 , Andreia Corciova  3 , Andreea Lungu  1   2 , Monica Hancianu  3 , Ionela Lacramioara Serban  1 , Oana Cioanca  3
Affiliations
Review

Nanotechnology in Osteogenesis and Inflammation Management: Metal-Organic Frameworks, Metal Complexes, and Biomaterials for Bone Restoration

Bogdan Huzum et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

A varied family of polyphenolic chemicals, flavonoids, are becoming more and more important in bone tissue engineering because of their osteogenic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. Recent developments incorporating flavonoids into different biomaterial platforms to improve bone regeneration are emphasized in this study. Osteocalcin (OCN) expression was 2.1-fold greater in scaffolds loaded with flavonoids-such as those made of polycaprolactone (PCL)-greatly increasing human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) proliferation and mineralization. Comparably, a threefold increase in calcium deposition indicates increased mineralization when hydroxyapatite (HA) was functionalized with flavonoids such as quercetin. These HA scaffolds with flavonoids also showed a 45% decrease in osteoclast activity, therefore promoting balanced bone remodeling. Concurrent with flavonoids like EGCG and quercetin, chitosan-based scaffolds encouraged osteogenic differentiation with increases in osteogenic markers like osteopontin (OPN) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) expression by up to 82%. These scaffolds also showed 82% bone defect repair after six weeks in vivo, suggesting their promise in rapid bone regeneration. With an increase of up to 32% in the bone volume-to-total volume ratio (BV/TV) and 28% greater bone-implant contact (BIC), flavonoid coatings on titanium implants enhanced osteointegration in implantology. Displaying successful osteogenesis and immunomodulation, the addition of flavonoids into metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and injectable hydrogels demonstrated a 72% increase in new bone formation in vivo. Though further research is required to confirm long-term clinical effectiveness, these findings show the great promise of flavonoid-functionalized biomaterials in bone regeneration.

Keywords: flavonoids; implants; nanotechnology; osteogenesis; osteoporosis.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Mechanisms of flavonoids in bone remodeling.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The activity of flavonoid–metal combinations and nanofibers in osteogenesis.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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