NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In an animal study of osteoporosis,
researchers have shown that low-dose aspirin can decrease the activity of cells
that breakdown bone, while increasing the activity of cell that build up bone,
according to research published online in the journal PLoS One.
Increased activity of cells that breakdown bone is typically cited as the cause
of osteoporosis, but recent evidence suggests that a drop in bone-forming cells
may also play a role, Dr. Songtao Shi from University of Southern California
School of Dentistry, Los Angeles, and colleagues note.
In lab studies, the team found that aspirin reduced the destruction of
bone-forming cells in mice. They further showed that adding low-dose aspirin
makes bone-forming cells more active and bone-degrading cells less active,
resulting in thicker and stronger bones.
"Aspirin may offer a new approach" for treating the osteoporosis commonly seen
in postmenopausal women, the researchers conclude.
Although human studies have suggested that regular use of aspirin may have a
moderate beneficial effect on bone thickness in postmenopausal women, "more
detailed studies are necessary to (clarify) the underlying mechanism by which
aspirin may prevent and treat osteoporosis," Shi added in comments to Reuters
Health.
SOURCE: PLoS One 2008.
