A popular TCM ingredient is being studied as a potential cure for various bone diseases

An herb commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) could be the future of preventing crippling bone diseases, according to researchers from the Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine. In their study, published in BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, the team reported that the seeds of the Chinese mallow (Malva verticillata) can prevent bone degradation, making it an ideal for treating pathological bone diseases.

“We examined whether a water extract of M. verticillata seeds (WEMV) exerts a pharmaceutical effect to regulate osteoclastogenesis or osteogenesis,” the researchers wrote in their report.

The main function of the bones is to support the body and provide it with a shape. However, like all tissues, bones are also susceptible to disease, especially as a person ages. Aside from age, lifestyle choices compound the risk of getting a bone disease – smoking and excessive alcohol consumption being the highest factors. In particular, the main types of bone problems include:

• Osteoporosis – a condition where a person has a low bone density
• Osteogenesis imperfecta – this leads to brittle bones
• Paget’s disease of bone – an illness which leaves bones weak and misshapen

Other factors, such as poor nutrition, genetics, or problems with bone growth also lead to bone diseases.

In the study, researchers acknowledged the growing interest in natural methods to address these conditions.

“Herbal medicine and natural products have recently been suggested to mitigate bone loss and ameliorate osteoporosis with fewer side effects through their ability to affect bone cells,” they explained.

This led them to study the Chinese mallow, a plant widely used in TCM. The seeds of the Chinese mallow, known as Dong Kui Zi,