Prospects for using peptide bioregulators for prevention and treatment of age-associated diseases of the musculoskeletal system (review of experimental data)

Abstract

Musculoskeletal diseases are most common in the elderly. The associated physical pain and limited ability to move impair quality of life and lead to disability in older patients. Among musculoskeletal diseases, osteoarthritis and osteoporosis are the most common. Osteoarthritis is a disease associated with age-related changes in the cartilage tissue. Osteoporosis, primarily postmenopausal, is characterized by decreased bone density. The similarity of these diseases is due to the fact that they both develop over a long time and are characteristic of older people. With age, both bone and cartilage tissues tend to lose their structure due to deterioration of metabolic processes. Therefore, it is important to maintain the musculoskeletal system as long as possible and focus on prevention of osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Treatment of such diseases is associated with substantial economic costs; therefore, development of new, efficient and safe methods, which would qualitatively change the structural and functional state of bone and cartilage tissues, is highly relevant. Experimental studies showed that a new peptide drug, Chondrolux®, can be recommended for prevention and treatment of diseases associated with degenerative and dystrophic changes in the cartilage and bone tissues.