Pharmacological inhibition of gut-derived serotonin synthesis is a potential bone anabolic treatment for osteoporosis

Osteoporosis results from misregulation of bone catabolism and bone anabolism, resulting in severe bone loss. Most current therapies act by decreasing bone catabolism, but targeting bone anabolism is more desired, because once bone is lost, it is difficult to replace. In a new report by Gerard Karsenty and his colleagues, they show that orally delivered pharmacological targeting of serotonin synthesis in the gut is sufficient to increase bone anabolism and thus restore lost bone in rat and mouse models of well-established osteoporosis (pages 264–265).