Bisphosphonates as a treatment modality in osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis (OA) is affecting large proportions of the population worldwide. So far, no effective disease modifying drug has been developed for this disease, limiting therapeutic options to pain medications, physiotherapy and ultimately surgical approaches, mainly joint implant surgery. In vitro animal studies have demonstrated that bisphosphonates potential become modalities treatment OA. This group pharmacological agents modulates crucial aspects OA pathogenesis (subchondral bone turnover loss, marrow edema formation, cartilage degeneration synovitis), shown clear efficacy in models Human have, however, so far disappointing with only one six clinical showing short-term efficacy. Possible reasons these discrepancies will be discussed.