Novel molecular targets for prevention of obesity and osteoporosis.

Evidence from both epidemiological studies and basic research suggests that obesity and osteoporosis are interrelated. Though there is an increase in the prevalence of these disorders, a limited number of treatments are available, one of the reasons being the complexity of the pathways involved and difficulty in identifying a single molecular target. Due to adverse effects of pharmaceuticals, intake of herbal drugs by patients without a physician's recommendation is increasing globally. Lack of success with targeted monotherapy has encouraged scientists to determine whether combinations of phytochemicals that interfere with numerous cell-signaling pathways can be a more effective approach to treat complex diseases. For example, evidence is emerging that specific combinations of phytochemicals are far more effective than single compounds in decreasing adipogenesis and promoting bone formation. Since multiple pathways are dysfunctional in obesity and osteoporosis, an ideal approach for preventing and treating these diseases may be to use a combination of phytochemicals to address several targets simultaneously.