A Review on the Molecular Mechanisms of Action of Natural Products in Preventing Bone Diseases

The drugs used for treating bone diseases (BDs), at present, elicit hazardous side effects that include certain types of cancers and strokes, hence the ongoing quest for the discovery of alternatives with little or no side effects. Natural products (NPs), mainly of plant origin, have shown compelling promise in the treatments of BDs, with little or no side effects. However, the paucity in knowledge of the mechanisms behind their activities on bone remodeling has remained a hindrance to NPs' adoption. This review discusses the pathological development of some BDs, the NP-targeted components, and the actions exerted on bone remodeling signaling pathways (e.g., Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor kappa B-ligand (RANKL)/monocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)/osteoprotegerin (OPG), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)s/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK)/nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kappa B), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap-1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/Heme Oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2 (BMP2)-Wnt/beta-catenin, PhosphatidylInositol 3-Kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta (GSK3 beta), and other signaling pathways). Although majority of the studies on the osteoprotective properties of NPs against BDs were conducted ex vivo and mostly on animals, the use of NPs for treating human BDs and the prospects for future development remain promising.

Automated summary

The search for alternatives to drugs with hazardous side effects in treating bone diseases is ongoing. Natural products, mainly of plant origin, show promise in treating these diseases with minimal side effects. However, the lack of understanding of the mechanisms behind their effects on bone remodeling has hindered their adoption. This review discusses the pathological development of bone diseases, targeted components of natural products, and the signaling pathways involved in bone remodeling. Despite most studies being conducted on animals and ex vivo, the use of natural products for treating human bone diseases and future prospects remain promising.