Shea Nut Targets Inflammation, Cartilage

LISMORE, AustraliaResearchers from Southern Cross University have discovered more insights into the mechanism behind arthritis relief provided by a high-triterpene shea nut extract. The single-site, 15-week randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind trial examined a range of biomarkers in 89 patients with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA) to determine activities of SheaFlex70, from BSP Pharma. They found several improvements to OA symptoms in subjects with the highest levels of OA biomarkers. In this group, those taking SheaFlex70 showed significant decreases in inflammation and cartilage breakdown, and trend level decreases in bone remodeling, compared to those taking placebo. Specifically, inflammatory marker TNF-alpha levels fell 24 percent in the treatment group, compared to 6 percent for placebo takers, and cartilage degradation marker CX-II levels in the treatment group dropped almost 29 percent versus an 18-percent rise in the placebo group. In addition, osteocalcin levels fell 9 percent among those taking SheaFlex70, but fell only 1 percent in those taking placebo.  The researchers concluded SheaFlex70 slowed the process of OA in patients with the highest levels of OA biomarkers, modulating several key markers of inflammation, cartilage damage and bone remodeling.

The findings are published online in the journal Phytotherapy Research.