Agent for promoting osteoblast differentiation, pharmaceutical composition for promoting bone formation, and food for special dietary use containing auraptene analog as active ingredient

Abstract

Agents or pharmaceutical compositions for promoting osteoblast differentiation include purified auraptene or coumarin analogs thereof represented by the following formula 1: wherein R1 represents a hydrogen, a hydroxy, a methoxy, a methyl, an ethyl, a propyl, a carboxyl, a carboxymethyl, or a carboxyethyl; R2 represents a hydrogen, a hydroxy, a methoxy, a methyl, an ethyl, a propyl, a carboxyl, a carboxymethyl, a carboxyethyl or a coumarinyl; R3 represents a hydrogen, a hydroxy, a methoxy, a methyl, an ethyl, a propyl, a carboxyl, a carboxymethyl or a carboxyethyl; and R4 represents a hydrogen, a C-Cliner or branched alkyl, an alkenyl, an alkadienyl or an alkatrienyl.