Traditional Chinese medicines and bone formation - A review

Traditional Chinese medicines have been used in the Chinese population for the treatment of bone diseases and to promote bone healing for thousands of years. Some traditional Chinese medicines have shown therapeutic effects on fracture heating in clinical and animal studies. It is reasonable, therefore, to postulate that some traditional Chinese medicines somehow affect the process of bone metabolism and bone formation. The aim of this article is to review the bone forming effect of various traditional Chinese medicines. (C) 2006 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons.