Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)
In a recent controlled trial, patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had a significant reduction in their disease activity (according to American College of Rheumatology criteria) when employing the sterol/sterolin mixture. Although both the treatment group and a placebo group in this study employed anti-inflammatory (e.g. diclofenac) and analgesic (e.g. paracetamol) medications, those patients using the plant sterol/sterolin mixture had a 48% response to the treatment compared to only 21% in the placebo group. Moreover, patients in the active group utilized fewer prescription medications suggesting that their quality of life was better. Plant sterols/sterolins, the authors note, may work similarly to the product Flemun from the German Company Intermuti Pharma which decreases cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase activity in vivo and in vitro.
Moducare use in the auto immune disease rheumatoid arthritis, Scientific abstract
Reference: Louw,I, et al. A pilot study of the clinical effects of a mixture of beta-sitosterol and beta-sitosterol glucoside in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Am J Clin Nutr 2002;
Study: In a controlled trial, 18 patients were randomised to receive either 20mg BSS/0.2mg BSSG capsules (Moducare®) or placebo three times a day for 24 weeks. All patients had active RA as defined by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria. Patients in both the treatment and placebo groups used anti-inflammatory and analgesic medications for the duration of the study. No new therapies could be initiated during the study. Patient response was assessed in terms of ACR response criteria (>20% improvement).
Results: In the group receiving the BSS:BSSG mixture, statistically significant changes were noted in the mean tender joint count (85% ACR response); patient’s assessment of pain (28% response); patient’s global assessment of disease activity (33% response); physician’s global assessment of pain (47%) and the MHAQ decreased (47% response). The ESR also decreased significantly (56% response). The placebo group had no significant improvement using the ACR criteria.
Clinical Summary: Due to the potent anti-inflammatory properties of Moducare®, patients with RA may benefit from the addition of this phytosterol mixture to current management strategies.
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