The Potential Effects and Mechanisms of Chinese Traditional Medicine on Bone Homeostasis and Remodeling

Osteoporosis is a systemic skeletal disease, strongly affecting postmenopausal women and characterized by an increased risk of bone fragility and a decrease in bone mass. Bone homeostasis requires a balance between bone-forming osteoblasts and bone-resorbing osteoclasts. When this balance is impaired, normal bone remodelling cannot keep bone mass stable, leading to osteopenia and osteoporosis. About 30–50% of all women in the world suffer from fractures due to osteoporosis throughout their lives. The treatments include improving metabolic abnormalities through complementary and alternative therapies, drug application and surgical therapy for the management of overweight, obesity and hormone metabolism disorder. Chinese traditional medicine has been increasingly considered as an effective therapy for osteoporosis. A series of formulae, herbs and natural products have been indicated for their effects in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, such as Liu-Wei-Di-Huang Wan (formula), Morindae Officinalis Radix (herb), Longspur epimedium glycoside (natural product). However, the mechanisms of action remain largely unexplored.