Topical Cream Shows Promise in Relieving OA Pain

Topical Cream Shows Promise in Relieving OA Pain

BUNDOORA, Australia--A topical glucosamine andchondroitin preparation was found to be effective for relieving the pain ofosteoarthritis (OA) after four weeks compared to placebo, according to a studyin the March issue of the Journal of Rheumatology (30, 3:523-8, 2003) (www.jrheum.com).Researchers at RMIT University randomly assigned 63 patients to receive either atopical preparation or placebo for use over an eight-week period. At four andeight weeks, patients in the treatment group reported a greater averagereduction in pain than the placebo group, and the reduction was greater aftereight weeks than four.

The active preparation used in this study, JointFlex fromSmartScience Laboratories Inc., is a water-soluble cream containing glucosaminesulfate, chondroitin sulfate and shark cartilage. JointFlex is formulated usingFUSOME technology, a proprietary technique that maximizes skin penetration ofthe beneficial ingredients, according to the company (www.smartsciencelabs.com).