Inhibitory effect of ipriflavone on pit formation in mouse unfractionated bone cells.

Effects of ipriflavone (7-isopropoxyisoflavone) on osteoclast-induced bone resorption were evaluated using an unfractionated bone cell culture system containing mature osteoclasts from the femur and tibia of newborn mice. When cells were cultured for 4 days on dentin slices in the presence of 5% fetal bovine serum and 10(-8) M 1 alpha, 25(OH)2D3, ipriflavone (3 x 10(-7) -3 x 10(-5) M) inhibited pit formation and caused a decrease in the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated cells (MNCs). The lowest significant effect was observed at a concentration of 10(-6) M. Unlike ipriflavone, calcitonin inhibited pit formation 4 days after the culture was started without affecting the number of TRAP-positive MNCs. Ipriflavone still inhibited pit formation when the culture period was 13 days, when new osteoclasts were expected to be formed. These findings suggest that ipriflavone inhibits new osteoclast formation and bone resorption at the cellular level.