Nutritional benefits of flavocoxid in patients with osteoarthritis: efficacy and safety

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Authors: Robert M Levy, Lakshmi Pillai, Bruce P Burnett

Published Date May 2010 Volume 2010:2 Pages 27 - 38

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/NDS.S6410

Robert M Levy¹, Lakshmi Pillai², Bruce P Burnett²

¹Department of Clinical Development, ²Department of Medical Education and Scientific Affairs, Primus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA

Abstract: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a major age-related, chronic disease in the United States that results in significant morbidity and functional loss as well as substantial financial outlay. Dietary habits have been shown to influence the metabolic and inflammatory processes involved in OA. For example, a lower intake of antioxidants is associated with increased incidence of OA while an increased intake of flavonoids and omega-3 polyunsaturated acids decreases production of inflammatory mediators and the incidence of OA. These observations argue that dietary habits contribute to the metabolic and inflammatory etiology of chronic diseases such as OA. Flavocoxid is a botanically-based formula composed of concentrated and standardized flavonoids from the botanicals Scutellaria baicalensis and Acacia catechu. Flavonoids constitute a large class of compounds known as polyphenols, ubiquitous in plants and consumed regularly in the human diet. Flavocoxid was developed by extensive high throughput screening and enzymatic testing and two specific flavonoids, catechin and baicalin, were identified that possess potent anti-inflammatory properties. Flavocoxid acts by managing both the cyclooxygenase and 5-lipoxygenase pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism thought to underlie the pathological processes of OA. Preclinical and clinical evidence suggests that flavocoxid provides effective and safe dietary management of the underlying metabolic processes of OA.

Keywords: cyclooxygenase, 5-lipoxygenase, inflammation, flavonoids