Honokiol isolated from Magnolia officinalis stimulates osteoblast function and inhibits the release of bone-resorbing mediators.

There has been a strong interest in searching for natural therapies for osteoporosis. Honokiol is a phenolic compound isolated from the bark of Magnolia officinalis, a plant widely used in traditional medicine. In the present study, the effects of honokiol on the function of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were studied. Honokiol caused a significant elevation of cell growth, alkaline phosphatase activity, collagen synthesis, mineralization, glutathione content, and osteoprotegerin release in the cells (P<0.05). Moreover, honokiol significantly (P<0.05) decreased the production of osteoclast differentiation inducing factors such as TNF-α, IL-6, and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL) in the presence of antimycin A, which inhibits mitochondrial electron transport and has been used as a ROS generator. These results demonstrate that honokiol may have positive effects on skeletal structure.