Science Current Events | Science News | Brightsurf.com
 
Email a Friend Send to a friend
Printer Friendly Print Frankincense provides relief to arthritis sufferers

Frankincense provides relief to arthritis sufferers

July 30, 2008

An enriched extract of the 'Indian Frankincense' herb Boswellia serrata has been proven to reduce the symptoms of osteoarthritis. Research published today in BioMed Central's open access journal Arthritis Research & Therapy has shown that patients taking the herbal remedy showed significant improvement in as little as seven days.

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 randomised, 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.




The study was led by Siba Raychaudhuri, a faculty member of the University of California, Davis, in the United States. According to Raychaudhuri, "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". The extract the authors used was enriched with 30% AKBA (3-O-acetyl-11-keto-beta-boswellic acid), which is thought to be the most active ingredient in the plant. Raychaudhuri said, "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". This is a proprietary product developed by Laila Nutraceuticals.

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".

BioMed Central



Related Osteoarthritis Current Events and Osteoarthritis News Articles Osteoarthritis Current Events and Osteoarthritis News RSS Osteoarthritis Current Events and Osteoarthritis News RSS
Adult stem cell breakthrough
The first tissue-engineered trachea (windpipe), utilising the patient's own stem cells, has been successfully transplanted into a young woman with a failing airway. The bioengineered trachea immediately provided the patient with a normally functioning airway, thereby saving her life.

First trachea transplant without immunosuppression
After 4 years of going from consultation to consultation, Claudia Castillo finally found a solution to her respiratory problems. The young Colombian woman suffered from a cough that took a long time to be diagnosed as tuberculosis.

Hip resurfacing is not for everyone
Hip resurfacing is often seen as a modern alternative to the more conventional total hip replacement, but new data from a study led by Rush University Medical Center suggest that a patient's age and gender are key to the operation's success.

New drug target in obesity: Fat cells make lots of melanin
As millions of Americans gear up for the Thanksgiving holiday, a new research report published online in The FASEB Journal, may provide some relief for those leery of having a second helping.

Elderly fare better when included in decisions on treatment trade-offs
Halting a medication that treats one ailment because it may worsen another is a treatment trade-off decision that elderly patients with multiple medical conditions would rather take part in, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in a study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

First international guidelines for treatment of psoriatic arthritis
Rheumatologists, dermatologists, and patient advocates have come together to publish the first-ever international guidelines for the treatment of psoriatic arthritis, a disease that mainly affects people who have psoriasis but also some people without it.

Nerve stimulation therapy alleviates pain for chronic headache
A novel therapy using a miniature nerve stimulator instead of medication for the treatment of profoundly disabling headache disorders improved the experience of pain by 80-95 percent, according to a new study from the University of California, San Francisco and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London.

Incorporating Education in Exercise Programs Increases Benefits for Arthritis Patients, MU Researchers Find
Arthritis is the nation's most common cause of disability. The number of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis is projected to increase to 67 million by 2030, and a large proportion of U.S. adults will limit their activity as a result.

Scientists discover why a mother's high-fat diet contributes to obesity in her children
New research published online in The FASEB Journal suggests that pregnant women should think twice about high-fat foods.

New study proves that pain is not a symptom of arthritis, pain causes arthritis
Pain is more than a symptom of osteoarthritis, it is an inherent and damaging part of the disease itself, according to a study published today in journal Arthritis and Rheumatism.
More Osteoarthritis Current Events and Osteoarthritis News Articles


The Arthritis Handbook: Improve Your Health and Manage the Pain of Osteoarthritis (A DiaMedica Guide to Optimum Wellness)
by Grant Cooper

According to conventional wisdom, arthritis pain is an inevitable part of aging. Not so, says Dr. Grant Cooper in this practical, accessible guide. For those who do develop osteoarthritic conditions, this book offers a blend of commonsense advice, dietary info, targeted exercise, and tips on useful supplements. According to the author, sufferers can often entirely avoid the use of medication,...



The Arthritis Cure, Revised and Updated: The Medical Miracle That Can Halt, Reverse, And May Even Cure Osteoarthritis
by Jason Theodosakis, Sheila Buff, Barry Fox

Since its original publication in 1996, The Arthritis Cure has swept the nation, providing amazing relief for the millions who suffer chronic arthritis pain. By outlining a nine-point program that includes a new effective supplement, ASU, The Arthritis Cure Revised Edition describes a program that can halt, reverse, and possibly even cure degenerative osteoarthritis.Based on the most recent and...



Osteoarthritis: Preventing and Healing Without Drugs
by Peter Bales

Osteoarthritis affects over 20 million Americans and is the most common degenerative disorder in the United States. It causes more disability than any other degenerative disease and is occurring in epidemic proportions throughout the world. In this novel approach to understanding and treating osteoarthritis, orthopaedic surgeon Peter Bales highlights the nutritional connection to this painful and...



All About Osteoarthritis: The Definitive Resource for Arthritis Patients and Their Families
by Nancy E. Lane, Daniel J. Wallace

Osteoarthritis afflicts about 25 million people in the United States--two-thirds of all people over 65--and the numbers will only grow in the coming years as baby boomers age. Yet few who suffer from this disease know much about it--how to relieve the pain, what exercises might help lessen their suffering, how to cut down on visits to the doctor. In All About Osteoarthritis, two leading...

Diagnosis and Nonsurgical Management of Osteoarthritis
by Kenneth D. Brandt

Pathogenesis of OA, common diagnostic pitfalls, case presentations, synovial fluid analysis, joint imaging, joint protection, and nonmedicinal therapy are reviewed. Recommendations for systemic and local pharmacologic therapy are presented, along with a rational strategy for therapy of OA pain. A section of the book is devoted to pharmacologic modifications of tissue damage of...



Osteoarthritis: Diagnosis and Medical/Surgical Management

Written by the foremost experts, this text is a comprehensive clinical reference on osteoarthritis. Chapters review current information on the epidemiology, etiopathogenesis, and pathology of osteoarthritis, the biochemistry and molecular and cell biology of articular cartilage, and experimental models of osteoarthritis. Major sections focus on clinical presentations, roentgenologic and...



Osteoarthritis In Practice
by Michael Doherty

Osteoarthritis is by far the most prevalent joint disorder. Strongly associated with ageing, it is a major cause of pain and disability in the ...



The Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Good Living with Osteoarthritis, 2nd Edition
by Dorothy Foltz-Gray

The Arthritis Foundation's Guide to Good Living With Osteoarthritis provides clear, understandable information on drugs, surgery, do-it-yourself treatments, exercise, alternative therapies and more to beat the pain of...



Stop Osteoarthritis Now: Halting the Baby Boomers' Disease
by Harris H. Mcilwain, Debra Fulgham Bruce

Many people between the ages of 30 and 40 unknowingly begin to develop the first signs of osteoarthritis, which can become a debilitating condition. This guide provides information on evaluating one's own risk of developing osteoarthritis, explains how to prevent its onset, and gives sound guidelines for lessening its effects. Real-life anecdotes and a question-and-answer section are...



Water Exercises for Osteoarthritis: The Effective Way to Reduce Pain and Stiffness, While Increasing Endurance and Strength
by Ann A. Rosenstein

Water Exercises for Osteoarthritis contains over 100 individual exercises and examples of exercise routines. It is richly illustrated with over 500 pictures so the reader can see all of the elements that go into an exercise program: equipment, warm-ups, stretching, aerobic exercises, strength exercises, balance exercises, exercises focusing on the abdominals, neck exercises, and cool downs....

© 2008 BrightSurf.com