Bibliographic review on the state of the art of strontium and zinc based regenerative therapies. Recent developments and clinical applications

Musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis are responsible for more than 25k deaths every year in the European Union and constitute a chronic burden on the individuals who suffer from this condition. There is no medical cure for these diseases and there are many therapies applied which have limited effectiveness and severe side effects over time. Regenerative therapies are being studied as a potential treatment for musculoskeletal diseases and are known for their upgrading effects of the natural healing processes carried out in the human body. It is believed that both strontium and zinc play an essential role in bone and cartilage tissue formation, which has led many scientists to study the effect of including these elements to promote tissue formation and inhibit its resorption. In this review, a deep analysis is undertaken of the most relevant developments in strontium and zinc based regenerative therapies that have occurred in the last five years, taking into consideration only those studies reporting significant progress towards real clinical applications. This review brings up to date the state of the art of strontium and zinc based regenerative therapies as it is believed that both have a promoting effect on tissue formation and have an essential role inhibiting resorption in musculoskeletal disorders.