Isoflavonoids are compounds characterised by structurally features which are similar
to the mammalian estrogens and have received considerable attention for their preventive
actions on bone loss. In the course of this study we synthesized novel isoflavone
derivatives and examined the activities in bone cells. We found that the novel isoflavone
derivatives markedly inhibited the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand
(RANKL) plus macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF)-induced osteoclastic differentiation
from bone marrow stromal cells and RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Isoflavone derivatives
did not affect the cell proliferation and differentiation of human cultured osteoblasts.
Our data suggest that the novel isoflavone derivatives inhibit osteoclastogenesis
from bone marrow stromal cells and macrophage cells via attenuated of RANKL-induced
p38, JNK and NF-kB activation.