Medical Evidence
Therapeutic Activity of Oral Glucosamine
Sulfate in 0steoarthrosis: A Placebo-Controlled Double-Blind Investigation
A. Drovanti, Vigevano General Hospital; Italy; A.A. Bignainini,
Institute of Biological Chemistry, University of Pavia, Italy;
A.L. Rovati, Rotta Research Laboratorium, Milano, Italy
Abstract: Eighty inpatients
with established osteoarthrosis received either 1.5 gm of glucosamine
sulfate (Viartril-S™) or placebo daily, in three divided
oral doses, for 30 days. Articular pain, joint tenderness and
swelling, and restriction of active and passive movements were
scored at one week intervals, as were possible side reactions.
Hematologic analysis, urine analysis, and occult blood in feces
were recorded before and after treatment. Samples of articular
cartilage from two patients of each group and from one healthy
subject were submitted to scanning electron microscopy after the
end of treatment. All symptoms decreased in both groups. The patients
treated with glucosamine sulfate experienced a reduction in overall
symptoms that was almost twice as large (73% vs. 41 %) and twice
as fast (time to reduce symptoms by 50%: 20 days vs. 36 days)
as those who had placebo. The improvement of autonomous mobility
was relatively less, compared to improvement in the other symptoms,
for patients with placebo; with glucosamine sulfate, on the contrary,
the improvement was as great and as fast as that of the other
symptoms. Thus a direct action of glucosamine sulfate on the cartilage
is hypothesized.
This hypothesis is supported by the findings of electron microscopy.
The patients who had placebo showed a typical picture of established
osteoarthrosis. Those who had glucosamine sulfate showed a picture
more similar to healthy cartilage. It is concluded that glucosamine
sulfate tends to rebuild the damaged cartilage, thus restoring
articular function in most chronic arthrosic patients.
Source: Clinical Therapeutics/Vol.
3, No. 4, 1980
Dr. Theo’s Comments: This
study, using oral glucosamine versus placebo shows that glucosamine
significantly improved pain, tenderness, range-of-motion and swelling
in patients with arthritis of the knee. Furthermore, no abnormalities
in blood or urine tests were noted. The conclusion by the authors
is that glucosamine should be used as a first-line agent for osteoarthritis.