title: Pharmacokinetic evaluation of zoledronic acid.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased bone resorption is associated with several diseases, including osteoporosis, bone metastases and Paget's disease of bone. Zoledronic acid (ZA) is the most potent of the clinically available bisphosphonates. In addition to its antiresorptive activity, there has been increasing evidence to suggest that it also has anticancer properties.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article is complied through PubMed and Medline databases searches on ZA. In this review, the authors summarize the current knowledge (up to December 2010) on the pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of ZA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ZA is a well-tolerated and effective drug in the management of metabolic as well as cancer-related bone disease. Clinical benefits in cancer patients include improvement in bone pain, reduction in skeletal events and delay of time to first skeletal event. However, novel indications for this drug are emerging from clinical studies in early breast cancer. Recent findings suggest that the addition of ZA to endocrine therapy can significantly prevent bone loss in premenopausal patients. Increasing evidence also indicates a potential anticancer activity of ZA, although this property needs to be further explored.
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Biotherapy Unit, INT-Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.forename: Luana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lamura
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallo
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Daniele
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Alessio
authors.forename: Pasqualina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giordano
authors.forename: Monica Rosaria
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Maiello
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pergameno
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Normanno
mesh_terms: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000556:secondary; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant / Q000379:methods*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004164:Diphosphonates / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000188:drug therapy; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid
chemical_list: D000277:Adjuvants, Pharmaceutic; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D004164:Diphosphonates; D007093:Imidazoles; D000077211:Zoledronic Acid