Background:

Alendronate is an inhibitor of bone resorption with IC50 value of 2nM [1].

Alendronate is a bisphosphonate. It is developed as a therapeutic agent in many bone disorders such as osteoporosis as well as Paget's disease and tumoral bone disease. Alendronate inhibits the bone resorption through binding to bone mineral and subsequently preventing the osteoclasts from ingesting them. It not only affects the function of osteoclasts but also alter the morphology of the cells. In the in vitro assay, alendronate shows effective antiresorbing potency with IC50 value of 2nM when treated with osteoclast suspension. In organ culture, alendronate inhibits resorption by embryonic long bones and cultured calvaria [1, 2].

参考文献:
[1] Sahni M, Guenther H L, Fleisch H, et al. Bisphosphonates act on rat bone resorption through the mediation of osteoblasts. Journal of Clinical Investigation, 1993, 91(5): 2004.
[2] Bell N H, Johnson R H. Bisphosphonates in the treatment of osteoporosis. Endocrine, 1997, 6(2): 203-206.