title: [Statins as possible therapeutic tools for osteoporosis].
abstract: Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs as they inhibit HMG-CoA reductase, which is a rate limiting enzyme in the mevalonate pathway. Recently, mevalonate metabolites are also shown to play pivotal roles in the regulation of generation and function of osteoclasts and osteoblasts. However, there have been great controversies in effects of statins on bone metabolism, especially that on osteoporotic fractures in human. Here we briefly review the role of statins in bone metabolism through the survey of clinical observations.
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology and Nephrology, Department of Medicine, University of Tokyo School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Takeda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors