What is "bisphosphonate"

n. 1 (context chemistry English) Any of a class of organic compounds having two phosphate groups attached to a single carbon atom 2 (context medicine English) Several pharmaceuticals, having this structure, that are used to treat Paget's disease by restricting bone loss

Bisphosphonates are a class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, used to treat osteoporosis and similar diseases. They are the most commonly prescribed drugs used to treat osteoporosis. They are called bisphosphonates because they have two phosphonate groups.

Evidence shows that they reduce the risk of fracture in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis.

Bone undergoes constant turnover and is kept in balance ( homeostasis) by osteoblasts creating bone and osteoclasts destroying bone. Bisphosphonates inhibit the digestion of bone by encouraging osteoclasts to undergo apoptosis, or cell death, thereby slowing bone loss.

The uses of bisphosphonates include the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, Paget's disease of bone, bone metastasis (with or without hypercalcaemia), multiple myeloma, primary hyperparathyroidism, osteogenesis imperfecta, fibrous dysplasia, and other conditions that exhibit bone fragility.