As reported in Nutrition Industry Executive:
The Ache:
For all its benefits, there is a down-side to getting physically fit. Annie Eng, CEO of HP Ingredients in Florida said as more Americans are getting in shape by regular workouts to fitness centers, ironically, they often lose more than just weight; they often lose joint integrity via the physical stress of repetitive motion.
“Similarly, as more women are now being advised by their ob/gyns to be conscious of their bone density in their mid-30s, there has been a significant uptick in the demand for bone-nourishing supplements.”
The Claim:
An ingredient with a history of use in Chinese and ayurvedic medicines, is from Andrographis paniculata, an annual herbaceous plant. Although HP Ingredients has been providing their version, ParActin®, for a few years, its sales team has witnessed increasing sales and inquiries about its use in joint health supplements, said Eng. “This may be a reflection of increased media exposure about the role of inflammation in joint discomforts.”
Paractin is a patented extract of Andrographis paniculata, standardized to andrographolide, 14-deoxyandrographolide, and neoandrographolide. (U.S. Patent No: 8,084,495 B2). Preliminary research has shown ParActin® to promote healthy inflammatory response by naturally inhibiting NF-kappaB, the key regulator of our inflammatory response system, thereby naturally reducing pro-inflammatory cytokines and proteins associated with pain and redness from everyday activities.
“Claims our brand marketing partners may use for Paractin are: ‘Supports healthy inflammatory response,’ ‘Supports healthy joint function,’ and ‘Supports healthy bone structure,” Eng added.
The Verdict:
ParActin® administered at 100 mg per day for 14 weeks decreased the intensity of joint pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) compared to placebo in a 2009 study.¹ Those who took the botanical also had fewer tender joints and number of swollen joints. Patients treated with ParActin also showed improvement in C-Reactive Protein from above normal to a normal level, and demonstrated an ability to normalize immunoglobin (Ig) A and IgM. The reduction in IgA and IgM is beneficial as there is positive correlation between the grade of cartilage damage.
In another study from 2013, 300 mg per day of ParActin® for four years significantly improved total grade of tender joints and quality of life in patients with various rheumatoid conditions.² In addition, researchers found a significant reduction in Rheumatoid Factor and CRP, pain and fatigue.
¹Burgos R et al. “Efficacy of an Andrographis paniculata composition for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: a prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial.” Clin Rheumatol. 2009 Aug;28(8):931-46. DOI: 10.1007/s10067-009-1180-5.
²Hidalgo M et al. “Andrographolide a New Potential Drug for the Long Term Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease.” Innovative Rheumatology. 2013 DOI: 10.5772/55642.
By Janet Poveromo
Editor-in-Chief
