Plant-derived natural medicines for the management of osteoporosis: A comprehensive review of clinical trials.

2024-01
Journal of traditional and complementary medicine 14(1)
- Seyedeh Mahnaz Karimi
- Mohammad Bayat
- Roja Rahimi

PubMed: 38223808
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2023.08.001

Study Design

Type: Review
Methods: Electronic databases including Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane library, and Scopus were searched until November 2022 for any clinical studies on the efficacy and/or safety of plant-derived medicines in the management of osteoporosis.

Background

Osteoporosis is a chronic and systemic skeletal disease that is defined by low bone mineral density (BMD) along with an increase in bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture. This study aimed to overview clinical evidence on the use of herbal medicine for management of osteoporosis.

Methods

Electronic databases including Pubmed, Medline, Cochrane library, and Scopus were searched until November 2022 for any clinical studies on the efficacy and/or safety of plant-derived medicines in the management of osteoporosis.

Results

The search yielded 57 results: 19 on single herbs, 16 on multi-component herbal preparations, and 22 on plant-derived secondary metabolites. Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies. Medicinal plants including Acanthopanax senticosus, Actaea racemosa, Allium cepa, Asparagus racemosus, Camellia sinensis, Cissus quadrangularis, Cornus mas, Nigella sativa, Olea europaea, Opuntia ficus-indica, Pinus pinaster, Trifolium pretense and phytochemicals including isoflavones, ginsenoside, Epimedium prenyl flavonoids, tocotrienols are among plant-derived medicines clinically investigated on osteoporosis. It seems that multi-component herbal preparations were more effective than single-component ones; because of the synergistic effects of their constituents. The investigated herbal medicines demonstrated their promising results in osteoporosis via targeting different pathways in bone metabolism, including balancing osteoblasts and osteoclasts, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, and estrogen-like functions.

Conclusion

It seems that plant-derived medicines have beneficial effects on bone and may manage osteoporosis by affecting different targets and pathways involved in osteoporosis; However, Future studies are needed to confirm the effectiveness and safety of these preparations.

Research Insights

Black Cohosh→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Black Cumin→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Cissus quadrangularis→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Cornus→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Eleuthero→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Olive→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Onion→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Pine→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Prickly Pear→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Red Clover→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Shatavari→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small
Tea→Reduced Fracture Risk
Risk of fracture, bone alkaline phosphatase, BMD, and specific bone biomarkers are investigated outcomes in these studies.
Effect
Beneficial
Effect size
Small