NZ natural product clinically proven to improve arthritis

Headline: NZ natural product clinically proven to improve arthritis

(PR.co.nz) A New Zealand dietary supplement made with an herbal extract from the medicinal plant Artemisia annua, has been shown clinically to have potentially life changing benefits for osteoarthritis sufferers. According to the World Health Organization, osteoarthritis is among the ten most disabling diseases in developed countries.

Published results in December’s issue of the international journal, Clinical Rheumatology, http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26631103 show that New Zealand joint support formula, Arthrem®, significantly reduced pain and stiffness and improved physical function in patients aged 35 to 75 years with osteoarthritis of the hip or knee. The randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was conducted by Associate Professor Simon Stebbings at the Rheumatology Research Department at Otago University and was supported by a grant from Callaghan Innovation, a government agency.

Arthrem® is made by New Zealand Company Promisia, whose principal scientist, Dr Sheena Hunt said that the published results indicate that Arthrem® has potential as an anti-inflammatory/analgesic in osteoarthritis. She also noted that Arthrem®, at the recommended dose of one capsule twice a day, was well tolerated with no treatment-related side effects.

Promisia’s chief executive, Charles Daily said, “These are extremely positive findings. There is potential for Arthrem® to improve the quality of life of more than 300,000 people in New Zealand and millions worldwide who suffer from osteoarthritis.”

The plant Artemisia annua, which has been used in Chinese traditional medicine for more than 2000 years, is already well known for its use as a treatment for malaria but this is the first published evidence of its efficacy in arthritis.

For Arthrem®, Promisia grows Artemisia annua at high altitude in Tanzania. The dried plants are then shipped to New Zealand where the material is extracted using a diffusion-based, high pressure, low temperature process.

Courtesy of livenews.co.nz

Arthrem May Alleviate Osteoarthritis Symptoms

Researchers in New Zealand have found that Arthrem, a joint support supplement from Promisia Integrative Limited (Wellington, New Zealand), may reduce pain and stiffness in people with osteoarthritis, as well as increase physical function.

Arthrem contains an extract from the plant Artemisia annua, also known as Qinghaosu. It made its debut as a dietary supplement in 2011.

“We are thrilled to be able to publish scientific research to back up what we’ve been hearing anecdotally from customers, which is that Arthrem can help relieve pain and stiffness in arthritic joints,” said Charlie Daily, CEO, Promisia.

The randomized, placebo-controlled trial included 28 participants aged 35—75 with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip. Participants consumed 150 mg of Arthrem or a placebo twice daily for 12 weeks. Researchers then compared baseline and 12-week scores of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) to assess osteoarthritis symptoms, and a visual analogue scale (VAS) to assess joint pain.

Participants in the Arthrem group showed a significant improvement in WOMAC total scores, as well as a statistically significant reduction to the WOMAC components for stiffness and physical function, compared to the placebo group. Additionally, the VAS pain scores were statistically reduced in the Arthrem group, but not in the placebo group.

“The published results show that the natural product, Arthrem, has potential as an anti-inflammatory/analgesic in osteoarthritis,” says Sheena Hunt, PhD, co-author of the study and principal scientist for Promisia. “In patients taking one Arthrem capsule twice a day, pain and stiffness were significantly reduced and physical function significantly improved.”

Hunt also noted that the effect of Arthrem supplementation were especially positive in the subset of participants suffering from mild or moderate osteoarthritis, rather than more severe osteoarthritis. Within that subgroup, the average magnitude of pain at the end of the 12-week period was less than half what it was baseline, says Hunt.

The study also included a second experimental group that consumed a higher-dose regiment of Arthrem for 12 weeks, taking 300 mg of the supplement twice daily rather than 150 mg. However, researchers reported there were no statistically significant changes in this group for any parameter compared to baseline.

Courtesy of Michael Crane, nutritionaloutlook.com

Arthrem is in store now at Unichem Main Street Pharmacy, Howick - your local Howick health professional.