Glucosamine and chondroitin for the treatment of osteoarthritis

Abstract

The prevalence of primary or idiopathic osteoarthritis (OA) of knee and hip joints has substantially increased in general population during the last decades. Analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are currently extensively used as non-surgical treatment options. However, they act as symptomatic treatments, not offering a cure of OA and they are accused for an increased risk of adverse events. Glucosamine (GL) and chondroitin (CH) are nutritional supplements that have recently gained widespread use as treatment options for OA. They potentially or theoretically act as chondroprotectors or/and as “disease-modifying OA drugs” offering not only symptomatic relief but also alteration of the natural history of OA. However, although many studies have showed a significant treatment effect, accompanied with remarkable safety, there is still controversy regarding their relative effectiveness compared with placebo or other treatments. The scope of this review is to present and critically evaluate the current evidence-based information regarding the administration of GL and CH for the treatment of knee or hip OA. Our focus is to investigate the clinical efficacy and safety after the use of these supplements. An effect of GL and CH on both clinical and radiological findings has been shown. However, only a few high-quality level I trials exist in the literature, especially on the assessment of radiological progression of OA. The effect sizes are generally small and probably not clinically relevant. Even the validity of these results is limited by the high risk of bias introduced in the studies. Both GL and CH seem to be safe with no serious adverse events reported. There is currently no convincing information for the efficacy of GL and CH on OA.

Effects of a nutritional supplement in dogs affected by osteoarthritis

“…The anti‐inflammatory activity of the Devil's claw may be critical in the symptomatic treatment of osteoarthritis (Brien et al., ) but, also, glucosamine and chondroitin are nutritional supplements which have recently gained widespread use as per os treatment options for OA. There is evidence supporting that both these compounds reach and retain a certain concentration in plasma and in joint fluid and cartilage (Innes, Clayton, & Lascelles, ; Persiani et al., ; Vasiliadis & Tsikopoulos, ). Moreover, also Boswellia serrata , mainly because of its boswellic acids, is already known as a mediator in various inflammatory diseases.…”

Combined effect of celecoxib and glucosamine sulfate on inflammatory factors and oxidative stress indicators in patients with knee osteoarthritis

“…It can effectively relieve pain, but cannot effectively prevent longterm recurrence of the disease [2]. Glucosamine sulfate, a naturally occurring amino sugar in the matrix of cartilage, effectively repairs damaged soft tissue and inhibits the recurrence of inflammation [3]. Previous studies have shown that a combination of celecoxib with glucosamine sulfate could effectively control inflammatory response and reduce its long-term recurrence [4].…”

Effects of oral glucosamine hydrochloride and mucopolysaccharide protein in a rabbit model of osteoarthritis

“…Glucosamine hydrochloride (C 6 H 13 NO 5 ; GlcN.HCl), an amino monosaccharide and important precursor for glycoprotein and lipid biosynthesis, is present in almost every human tissue and most abundant in the cartilage, connective tissue, intervertebral discs and synovial fluid . Glucosamine is the most important component for the synthesis of hyaluronic acid (HA) and chondroitin, the important constituents of articular cartilage and synovial fluid synthesis …”