chondroitin and Arthritis--Rheumatoid

While effective drugs are available to deal with the symptoms and modify the progress of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, these may cause serious adverse events and not all patients will obtain relief. Many people with these diseases use complementary medicines.. This article presents an overview of the evidence for the most promising complementary therapies for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, with other information that general practitioners need to know.. There is reasonable evidence to support the use of glucosamine, avocado/soybean unsaponifiables and chondroitin in osteoarthritis, and omega-3 fatty acids and gammalinolenic acid in rheumatoid arthritis. However, no current evidence does not equate to lack of effectiveness. Rigorous research into the use of complementary medicines in arthritis is evolving and many of the systematic reviews used in preparation of this article are being updated every few years to incorporate new trial evidence as it becomes available.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Complementary Therapies; Disease Progression; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; General Practitioners; Glucosamine; Herbal Medicine; Humans; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Nutritional Status; Osteoarthritis; Pain; Pain Management; Soybean Proteins

Topics: Arachnodactyly; Arteriosclerosis; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Biochemical Phenomena; Biochemistry; Carbohydrate Metabolism; Chondroitin; Connective Tissue; Eye Diseases; Glycosaminoglycans; Heparin; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Marfan Syndrome; Mucopolysaccharidosis I; Myxedema; Osteochondrodysplasias; Pathology

The effects of an orally administered combination of a glucosamine-chondroitin-quercetin glucoside (GCQG) supplement on the synovial fluid properties of patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were investigated from the clinical nutrition view point. In this study, forty-six OA and twenty-two RA patients were administered with the GCQG supplement orally for 3 months. Several parameters of the knee joints were monitored before and after supplementation. The OA patients showed a significant improvement in pain symptoms, daily activities (walking and climbing up and down stairs), and visual analogue scale, and changes in the synovial fluid properties with respect to the protein concentration, molecular size of hyaluronic acid, and chondroitin 6-sulphate concentration were also observed. However, no such effects were observed in the RA patients. These results suggest that the GCQG supplement exerted a special effect on improving the synovial fluid properties in OA patients.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Drug Combinations; Female; Glucosamine; Glucosides; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis; Quercetin; Synovial Fluid

The purpose of this study was to analyze the biochemical characteristics of synovial fluids after treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with intra-articularly injected hyaluronate (HA).. In a double-blind study, 13 patients received intra-articular injections of 1% HA in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) while 13 other patients were injected 0.01% HA in PBS, as the control group. Injections were administered once a week for five weeks.. Clinical efficacy and characteristics of synovial fluid were compared between groups.. Significant clinical improvement was observed in the HA-treated group compared to the control group. The viscosity of retained synovial fluid increased. Stringing and HA concentration increased significantly whereas the concentrations of protein and chondroitin sulfate 4 and 6 decreased significantly. The HA molecular weight remained the same in both groups.. Intra-articular HA injection altered the properties of synovial fluid and proved efficacious for patients with RA.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Double-Blind Method; Female; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Injections, Intra-Articular; Male; Middle Aged; Molecular Weight; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Aging; Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Carbon Isotopes; Chondroitin; Chromatography; Clinical Trials as Topic; Collagen; Humans; Hydroxyproline; In Vitro Techniques; Mice; Polyarteritis Nodosa; Urine

Glucosamine (GS), chondroitin (CD), and thymoquinone (TQ) are the complementary medicines under investigation in this study. Glucosamine is a naturally occurring glycoaminoglycan that contributes to the development of proteoglycans needed for the development of cartilage development and regeneration. Chondroitin is also a naturally occurring glycoaminoglycans (GAG) that seems to support the efforts of glucosamine as well as provide chondroprotection while serving as a 'water magnet' within the joint matrix. Thymoquinone is derived naturally from the black seed plant that is extremely popular within Middle Eastern countries. Its benefits are multiple, including both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These products were administered to HTB-93 synovial cells and cell viability, damage, and alterations in morphology were analyzed after 72 hours. Preliminary results revealed that chondroitin increased cell number in the high treatment group with increased nitric oxide production and decreased glutathione content compared to the control, glucosamine, and TMQ. Decreased glutathione levels were seen in the medium and high doses of both glucosamine and chondroitin. Increased levels of glutathione were seen with increasing TMQ, without changes in cell numbers or nitric oxide. The data indicates that medium and high doses of glucosamine and chondroitin may be cytotoxic to HTB-93 synovial cells.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Benzoquinones; Cell Line; Cell Proliferation; Cell Survival; Chondroitin; Complementary Therapies; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Combinations; Female; Glucosamine; Humans; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Breast Diseases; Breast Implants; Chondroitin; Female; Glucosamine; Humans; Middle Aged; Prosthesis Failure; Treatment Outcome

This study investigated the synovial fluid concentrations of glycosaminoglycan (GAG), keratan sulphate (KS) epitope 5D4 and chondroitin sulphate (CS) sulphation patterns in healthy volunteers and patients with osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Synovial fluids were collected from knee joints of healthy volunteers (n = 24), and patients with OA (n = 28) and RA (n = 29). Concentrations of GAG and the keratan sulphate epitope 5D4 were measured in 15 of the healthy volunteers, and all of the OA and RA synovial fluids. Total GAG was measured using a dye-binding method and 5D4 by an ELISA. The unsaturated CS disaccharides delta C4 and delta C6 were measured by capillary electrophoresis in all synovial fluids. The concentrations of GAG, 5D4 and delta C6 in the normal synovial fluid were higher but that of delta C4 lower than those of the disease groups. The delta C6:delta C4 ratios correlated with age (r = -0.437, P < 0.001) and the mean value was lower in females than males (2.92 compared with 5.22, P < 0.001). After allowing for age and sex, the delta C6:delta C4 ratio in the control group was significantly elevated (P < 0.001) compared to both OA and RA. The ratio was also related to proteoglycan markers (r = 0.383 for 5D4 and r = 0.357 for GAG). The finding that 5D4 and delta C6:delta C4 ratios are higher in synovial fluid from healthy volunteers compared to OA and RA suggests that they may be markers of the susceptibility of articular cartilage to early damage in arthritis.

Topics: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Analysis of Variance; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Biomarkers; Cartilage; Chondroitin; Disaccharides; Epitope Mapping; Female; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Keratan Sulfate; Linear Models; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis; Sex Factors; Sulfur; Synovial Fluid

Chondroitin sulphate is the major sulphated glycosaminoglycan present in the extracellular matrix of soft connective tissues and the aim of this study was to investigate the distribution of chondroitin sulphate species in normal and diseased synovium.. Distribution of chondroitin-4-sulphate/dermatan sulphate (Ch4S/DS) and chondroitin-6-sulphate in normal (n = 6), osteoarthritic (n = 4) and rheumatoid (n = 10) synovium was determined using an immunoperoxidase technique and specific monoclonal antibodies to chondroitinase ABC-digested preparations.. Ch4S/DS was expressed throughout the interstitium of all tissues and was also present on blood vessels in rheumatoid samples only. Ch6S was expressed in the lining layer of normal synovium but was absent from this site in osteoarthritic and rheumatoid tissues. Ch6S was also present on all blood vessels in all tissues.. The distinct zonal distributions of Ch4S/DS and Ch6S and their alteration in disease suggest these molecules have different and specific functions in normal and diseased synovium.

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Chondroitin Sulfates; Dermatan Sulfate; Humans; Immunoenzyme Techniques; Osteoarthritis; Synovial Membrane

Topics: Adult; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cell Migration Inhibition; Chondroitin; Chondroitin Sulfates; Female; Humans; Leukocytes; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Glycosaminoglycans; Hexosamines; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Knee Joint; Male; Nitrogen; Sulfates; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Electrophoresis, Disc; Female; Glycosaminoglycans; Glycoside Hydrolases; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Male; Myocardial Infarction; Neoplasms; Pregnancy; Sharks; Skin; Sulfuric Acids; Swine; Trachea

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Asparagine; Chondroitin; Chromatography, DEAE-Cellulose; Chromatography, Gel; Glycopeptides; Glycosaminoglycans; Heparin; Humans; Peptides; Peptidoglycan; Sulfates

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cartilage, Articular; Child; Chondroitin; Female; Galactose; Glucosamine; Hexosamines; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Knee Joint; Male; Middle Aged; Sulfuric Acids; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Age Factors; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cartilage, Articular; Chondroitin; Collagen; Humans; Knee Joint; Lysosomes; Peptide Hydrolases; Phenylbutazone; Podophyllin; Polysaccharides; Prednisolone; Proteins; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Binding Sites; Cartilage, Articular; Chondroitin; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; Joint Diseases; Joints; Synovial Fluid; Viscosity

Topics: Amino Acids; Amino Sugars; Amyloid; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Brucellosis; Chondroitin; Glycosaminoglycans; Hodgkin Disease; Humans; Kidney; Liver; Methods; Monosaccharides; Proteins; Spleen; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Bone Marrow; Cartilage; Chondroitin; Drug Eruptions; Humans; Joint Diseases; Organotherapy; Rheumatic Diseases; Spinal Osteophytosis; Sulfates; Urticaria

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cattle; Chondroitin; Cytodiagnosis; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Joints; Methods; Osteoarthritis; Sulfates; Synovial Fluid; Ultracentrifugation

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chemical Precipitation; Chondroitin; Cold Temperature; Culture Techniques; Dialysis; Gout; Heparin; Hot Temperature; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Hyaluronoglucosaminidase; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic; Mucins; Osteoarthritis; Plasma; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Synovial Fluid; Synovial Membrane

Topics: Animals; Arthritis, Juvenile; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cartilage; Cattle; Chondroitin; Dialysis; Ear, External; Elastic Tissue; Electrophoresis; Enzymes; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Nasal Septum; Polysaccharides; Rats

Topics: Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Chromatography; Electrophoresis; Glycosaminoglycans; Hexosamines; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Sulfates; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Alcohol Oxidoreductases; Animals; Antibody Formation; Antineoplastic Agents; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Chronic Disease; Collagen; Connective Tissue; Hepatitis; Humans; Immunosuppressive Agents; Rabbits

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Blood Sedimentation; Chondroitin; Female; Gels; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Hyaluronic Acid; Male; Middle Aged; Synovial Fluid

Topics: Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Cartilage; Chondroitin; Drug Therapy; Glycosaminoglycans; Humans; Injections; Injections, Intra-Articular; Osteoarthritis; Sulfates

Topics: Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Blood Proteins; Chondroitin; Chondroitin Sulfates; Humans; Lipids; Serum Globulins

Topics: Antibodies; Antigens; Arthritis; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Chondroitin; Chondroitin Sulfates; Humans; Streptococcus