Calcitonin May Be Disease-Modifier Drug for Osteoarthritis

Calcitonin, a drug which is widely used to treat Paget's disease of bone and osteoporosis may also potentially be able to slow or counteract cartilage damage. To date, there has been no drug or osteoarthritis treatment which was able to target the process of joint destruction. Calcitonin is an amino acid hormone produced by the thyroid. Calcitonin is prescribed as a nasal spray or injection.

Osteoarthritis treatments have focused on controlling pain associated with loss of articular cartilage, subchondral sclerosis, and the formation of osteophytes. Researchers are trying to determine whether calcitonin could be a disease-modifying drug used to treat osteoarthritis. Read more in Calcitonin May Act as Disease-Modifying Drug for Osteoarthritis.

Related Resources:

• Osteoarthritis Research
• Paget’s Disease of Bone v. Osteoarthritis
• Risedronate May Slow Joint Destruction in Knee Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis v. Osteoarthritis: Similar Names, Different Conditions

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