Osteoarthritis represents the most common joint problem in the United States.
Common approaches to manage this include over the counter drugs and prescription drugs.
However, there are natural options that may be effective in controlling symptoms of knee joint pain.
A study was published in the journal of Medicinal Food that tested Chinese skullcap and catechu for knee osteoarthritis (i.e. arthritis of the knee).
Here are the study details
– Clinical Trial design: Double blind randomized
– Human subjects: 79 men and women age 40 to 90 years old were enrolled
– Diagnosis: mild to moderate osteoarthritis
– Treatments: 500 mg of Chinese skullcap and Catechu OR 440 mg/day of naproxen
Here are the main results
– Skullcap and Catechu significantly decreased in perceived pain (P=.009) time dependently.
– Stiffness was significantly reduced by both treatments (P=.002 UP446, P=.008 naproxen).
– Range of motion was improved in the Skullcap and Catechu group (P=0.04)
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Here is what the authors had to say
Our results demonstrated that Chinese skullcap and catechu —a natural dietary supplement—is capable of reducing knee OA-associated pain and improving knee joint flexibility after a 1 week period.
And
In summary, the results of this study suggest that, similar to that of naproxen, UP446 is capable of reducing perceived joint pain and stiffness while also improving joint flexibility. Our findings also provide additional evidence for the analgesic effects of plant extracts S. baicalensis and A. catechu.
Reference
Arjmandi et al. A combination of Scutellaria baicalensis and Acacia catechu extracts for short-term symptomatic relief of joint discomfort associated with osteoarthritis of the knee. Journal of Medicinal Food. 2014 Jun;17(6):707-13.
His research on plant medicine has led to more than 45 publications and abstracts.This research has been presented at international meetings in the USA, France, Turkey, Peru, Israel, Austria, and Italy.
Categories: Antioxidant, Arthritis, Clinical Trials, Inflammation, Medical Foods