Thursday, November 3, 2022

How does this Southeast Asian shrub prevent osteoporosis?

How does this Southeast Asian shrub prevent osteoporosis?

The longjack plant (Eurycoma longifolia), sometimes called Tongkat Ali, is a popular herbal treatment in Southeast Asia. Numerous common conditions, including fevers, bacterial infections, and erectile dysfunction, are treated with it. Tongkat Ali is also an adaptogen and "anti-aging" herb that improves libido, mood, and energy while lowering stress levels.


Tongkat Ali can also be used to treat a variety of different bone problems, making it a great choice for those who are interested in both medical and health-related information. According to what they found, the herb can stop the activity of osteoclasts, which is linked to bone diseases that cause either localized or widespread bone loss. Tongkat Ali is thought to have a mode of action that makes it a helpful treatment for conditions that erode bones, like osteoporosis and rheumatoid arthritis.


Tongkat Ali can shield bones from illnesses that erode them.


The medicinal plant Tongkat Ali has recently gotten a lot of attention because of how well it helps bones grow in people with androgen-deficient osteoporosis. Nevertheless, despite the many studies looking into Tongkat Ali's benefits on osteoporosis, more needs to be understood about how it works.


Using RAW 264.7 cells, the researchers looked at how Tongkat Ali affected the growth, development, and maturation of osteoclasts and how it stopped the production of new osteoclasts. They focused on how the herb changed the activity of TRAP in receptor activators of nuclear factor-kB, or NF-kB, ligand cells that RANKL had made.


Researchers also looked at how proteins related to osteoclasts were expressed to figure out how osteoclasts grow. Matrix metallopeptidase-9 (MMP-9), cathepsin-K, TRAP, nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1), production of superoxide (free radicals), and superoxide dismutase activity were among the protein biomarkers.


Precursor cells like monocytes or macrophages produce osteoclasts responsible for resorbing bone during remodeling. The presence of RANKL is necessary for this osteoclastogenesis process. RANKL is a protein that is associated with thelarcheogenesis. This process is caused when the protein binds to the receptor activator of NF-kB (RANK).


NFATc1, a transcription factor, is activated to start osteoclastogenesis. TRAP, cathepsin-K, and MMP-9 are a few of the osteoclastogenesis-related proteins that NFATc1 controls. According to the research, a variety of variables, including the hormonal imbalance brought on by menopause, drive osteoclast development. Bone diseases like osteoporosis can be treated very well by stopping osteoclasts from growing and working. This is because more osteoclast activity leads to gradual bone loss.


During their research, scientists found that Tongkat Ali does not kill RAW 264.7 cells. Additionally, it had no impact on cell division. However, Tongkat Ali exposure greatly slowed down osteoclast differentiation and maturation.


Tongkat Ali also significantly increased superoxide dismutase activity while lowering RANKL-induced TRAP enzyme activity, MMP-9, cathepsin-K, TRAP, and NFATc1 expression, and superoxide production. An antioxidant enzyme called superoxide dismutase can stop reactive oxygen species, which are free radicals that cause osteoblasts to undergo apoptosis (bone-forming cells). Superoxide dismutase activity is increased but does not promote osteoclastogenesis.


Researchers concluded that Tongkat Ali helps bones grow back while stopping osteoclasts from getting bigger. These exercises can help treat osteoporosis and other conditions that weaken bones, like rheumatoid arthritis and metastases caused by bone loss.


Other advantages of Tongkat Ali for health


The phytonutrients in Tongkat Ali, a widely used and well-studied medicinal plant, are what give the plant its health benefits. According to research, Tongkat Ali has a lot of healthy substances like flavonoids, alkaloids, and other antioxidants. These naturally occurring substances help shield cells from the harm that free radicals can do.


Here are a few advantages of using Tongkat Ali for health.


  • Boosts male fertility and testosterone levels in men
  • Reduces tension
  • Increases physical performance
  • Builds muscular mass
  • Increases both mental and physical vitality
  • Assists in weight loss


Even though it is used in Asian countries, Tongkat Ali has no known side effects and is usually safe to eat. Its safety for youngsters and women who are nursing or pregnant has not yet been determined. Talk to a natural health professional before using or taking this herb to ensure it won't hurt you. 

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