Prospects for the use of flavonoids in osteoporosis

The review is devoted to the feasibility of using flavonoids in the complex therapy of osteoporosis. Numerous types of pharmacological activity inherent in these polyphenolic compounds of plant origin, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiproliferative, immunomodulatory, antitumor, anticoagulant and others, forced us to carefully approach the possibility of their clinical effectiveness in bone pathology. Experimental studies of recent years have shown that the protective effect of flavonoids preventing pathological bone loss is primarily due to activation of new bone tissue formation by stimulating proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts, as well as weakening the bone resorption process by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis. Possible mechanisms of the noted effects are discussed taking into account the impact on intracellular signaling processes. A positive effect of estrogen-like properties of a number of flavonoids on the osteogenesis process is noted. The review considers the promising properties of the most widely encountered flavonols, flavones, flavanones, flavan-3-ods (catechins), anthocyanidins, and isoflavones, allowing one to look with optimism at their clinical application in the future. As many authors believe, further in-depth preclinical studies should answer many remaining questions regarding the mechanisms of action of flavonoids, as well as solve the problem of their bioavailability.