Indian Herb reduces symptoms of Osteoarthritis
|
An enriched extract of the "Indian Frankincense" herb has proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published in Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown patients taking Boxwellia serrata showed significant improvement in as little as seven days. The extract the authors used was enriched with 30 percent AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is thought to be the most active ingredient in the plant. The study was led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member of the University of California, Davis, in the United States."The high incidence of adverse affects associated with currently available medications has created great interest in the search for an effective and safe alternative treatment," said Raychaudhuri. "AKBA has anti-inflammatory properties, and we have shown that B. serrata enriched with AKBA can be an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee." Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis; it commonly affects weight-bearing joints such as the knees and hips, along with the hands, wrists, feet and spine. The symptoms include pain, stiffness and limited movement. This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of 70 patients will be of great interest to sufferers, especially those who don't get adequate relief from existing treatments. B. serrata has been used for thousands of years in the Indian system of traditional medicine known as 'Ayurveda.' This study is the first to prove that an enriched extract of the plant can be used as a successful treatment. The same authors have previously tested the safety of their remedy in animal experiments. They say that, "In this study, the compound was shown to have no major adverse effects in our osteoarthritis patients. It is safe for human consumption and even for long-term use." |
