Osteoporosis (OP) is a chronic, systemic bone disease. With the arrival of the aging society, the research on the prevention and treatment of this disease is increasing. Finding effective drugs to induce osteogenesis and differentiation of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) is currently a more focused strategy for prevention and treatment of OP. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is the key protein of adipocyte differentiation. Studies have confirmed that the intervention of epimedium on bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) can inhibit the expression of PPARγ, thus inhibits  adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs and promotes their osteogenic differentiation. Hippo signal pathway controls the activity of YAP/TAZ transcriptional coactivator through kinase cascade and inhibiting PPARγ, which can inhibit ADSCs from differentiating into adipocytes. Ajuba is an important regulator of adipogenic differentiation of cells and a new PPARγ interacting proteins which can limit the activity of Hippo signaling pathway during cell proliferation. Epimedium has unique advantages in the prevention and treatment of OP. Previous studies found that epimedium can promote the osteogenic differentiation of ADSCs and inhibit their lipogenic differentiation. PPARγ, Hippo pathway and Ajuba are closely related in the pathogenesis of OP. According to previous research, this paper is purposed to review the mechanism of epimedium in ADSCs for the prevention and treatment of OP, and to provide a reference for the development of new clinical drugs.

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