Ipriflavone (7-isopropoxyisoflavone), a non-hormonal
isoflavone derivative, is currently used in several countries for prevention and treatment of
postmenopausal osteoporosis. This compound is devoid of estrogenic activity in humans, but increases the activity of
estrogens.
Ipriflavone has been shown to be effective in reducing bone turnover rate mainly through an inhibition of
bone resorption, and has been effect to stimulate of bone formation. Inhibitory effect of
ipriflavone on
bone resorption has been demonstrated both directly by the activation of mature osteoclast and the formation of new osteoclasts by stimulating
estrogen-induced
calcitonin secretion by thyroids in vivo. There are some evidence that
ipriflavone has direct effect on bone formation. Several clinical studies have demonstrated that bone mineral density (BMD) was increased or maintained in patients treated with
ipriflavone. Recently, a large multicentral study,
Ipriflavone Multicenter European Fracture Study (IMEFS), was designed in order to investigate the efficacy of
ipriflavone on the prevention of vertebral and the effect on BMD in women with
postmenopausal osteoporosis.