A study developed by the group of Musculoskeletal Pathology of the Santiago Health Research Institute (IDIS) opens an unprecedented horizon for the treatment of osteoporosis.
The research, published in the scientific journal Pharmaceuticsshows that colchicine, historically used to prevent gout flare-upshas the ability to counteract bone adiposity, a critical process that weakens the internal structure of bones.
The key lies in the bone marrow. Over time or due to pathologies, the inside of the bone accumulates fat instead of firm tissue, which reduces density and increases the risk of fractures.
The team coordinated by Rodolfo Gómez verified that this drug acts directly on mesenchymal stem cells, forcing them to become bone-forming cells (osteoblasts) instead of fat cells (adipocytes).
An economical and safe solution
EFE highlighted that the relevance of this discovery lies in accessibility. As Gómez explains, colchicine is a simple, cheap tool that is used daily by thousands of patients, which facilitates their transition to new clinical protocols.
The results in vitro confirm that even low and transient doses are sufficient to inhibit the formation of adipose tissue within the bone structure, maintaining an optimal safety profile for the patient.
Although these observations require validation in more complex preclinical systems, The discovery represents the first evidence that this drugin real therapeutic concentrations, promotes the generation of new tissue.
For an aging global population where osteoporosis represents a major health burden, the repositioning of existing medications emerges as the most efficient and rapid strategy to improve quality of life.
