Mechanisms by which kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs inhibit osteoclastogenesis: Emphasis on immune cells

Yi Jiao; Xing Wang; Qiong Wang; Qishun Geng; Xiaoxue Cao; Mengxiao Zhang; Lu Zhao; Tingting Deng; Yuan Xu; Cheng Xiao

doi:10.3389/fphar.2023.1077796

Mechanisms by which kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs inhibit osteoclastogenesis: Emphasis on immune cells

Front Pharmacol. 2023 Feb 6:14:1077796. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1077796. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Yi Jiao^{1

2}, Xing Wang^{1

2}, Qiong Wang^{1

2}, Qishun Geng³, Xiaoxue Cao³, Mengxiao Zhang², Lu Zhao⁴, Tingting Deng², Yuan Xu⁵, Cheng Xiao^{1

2

6}

Affiliations

¹ Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Clinical Medical College, Beijing, China.
² Institute of Clinical Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
³ Graduate School of Peking Union Medical College, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences/Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
⁴ China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
⁵ Department of TCM Rheumatology, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
⁶ Department of Emergency, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.

Abstract

The immune system plays a crucial role in regulating osteoclast formation and function and has significance for the occurrence and development of immune-mediated bone diseases. Kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs, based on the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to unify the kidney and strengthen the bone, have been widely used in the prevention and treatment of bone diseases. The common botanical drugs are tonifying kidney-yang and nourishing kidney-yin herbs, which are divided into two parts: one is the compound prescription of TCM, and the other is the single preparation of TCM and its active ingredients. These botanical drugs regulate osteoclastogenesis directly and indirectly by immune cells, however, we have limited information on the differences between the two botanical drugs in osteoimmunology. In this review, the mechanism by which kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs inhibiting osteoclastogenesis was investigated, emphasizing the immune response. The differences in the mechanism of action between tonifying kidney-yang herbs and nourishing kidney-yin herbs were analysed, and the therapeutic value for immune-mediated bone diseases was evaluated.

Keywords: immune cells; kidney-tonifying Chinese herbs; nourishing kidney-yin herbs; osteoclasts; tonifying kidney-yang herbs.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding (Grant number 2022-NHLHCRF-LX-02-0105), The National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant number 81873223), and Beijing Chinese Medicine Science and Technology Development Fund Project (Youth Planning Project): QN-2020-32 financially supported this research.