Rose-hip – a new hope for sufferers of joint pain and osteoarthritis

Rose-hip can help alleviate joint pain in patients with knee, hip, and hand osteoarthritis, according to recent research.

In the study, a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial published in the Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology (Aug 2005)1, 82% of patients reported a reduction in pain after 3 weeks of active treatment with GOPO - the active compound isolated from Rosa canina, a type ofrose-hip.

The research could give new hope to the 9 million people in theUK who suffer from painful joints due to arthritis and related conditions but who are keen to maintain an active life. In comparison, one of the largest long-term studies on glucosamine, currently the most popular supplement for joint health, showed only a 40% response rate to treatment and that it took up to 12 weeks before thesubjects reported feeling improvement.

The research also found that GOPO alleviated pain to an extent that there was a significant reduction in the consumption of traditional painkillers such as paracetamol, ibuprofen, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) – a key benefit not observed in studies on glucosamine.

Although typical treatments for the pain and inflammation caused by arthritis, NSAID’s can cause serious side effects if used over a prolonged period including abdominal pain, heartburn, nausea, and vomiting.

“I was very interested to see the results of this research, which showrose-hip extract to have a very quick effect in reducing osteoarthritic pain in the hip, knee, and hand. This study suggests that rose-hip extract offers potential relief from pain for osteoarthritis sufferers, without theside effects that are often found with conventional anti-inflammatorydrugs or pain killers”, says Dr Rod Hughes, Consultant Rheumatologist at StPeter’s Hospital in Surrey.

The study, recently presented at the 10th World Congress on Arthritis inDecember 2005, is a continuation of extensive research intoanti-inflammatory efficacy of GOPO in osteoarthritis.
The ScandinavianJournal of Rheumatology is one of the leading international journals in thefield of arthritis and rheumatology.

Unfortunately due to the drying process that is needed to isolate theactive anti-inflammatory compound from the sub-species of rose-hip, GOPO is not available in a normal diet and can only be taken in the form of a food supplement. LitoZin Joint Health, from Lanes, is the only supplement containing GOPO and is specifically formulated for maintaining joint health.