Objective To summarize the recent development on chondroprotective effect of alendronate (ALN) on articular cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Methods The related literature was reviewed and the main achievements in vitro/vivo studies in the fields were summarized. Results ALN can improve the metabolic microenvironment of the articular cartilage in OA, inhibit subchondral bone remodeling, so it has potential protective effect on articular cartilage. Conclusion ALN is expected to become a disease-modifying OA drug in future, but OA treatment still lack a uniform basic and clinical evaluation criteria, so it has guiding significance in development and application of ALN to develope a uniform standard and obtain the clinical data.