Therapeutic activity of oral glucosamine sulfate in osteoarthrosis: a placebo-controlled double-blind investigation
Drovanti, A.; Bignamini, A.A.; Rovati, A.L.
Clinical Therapeutics 3(4): 260-272
1980
ISSN/ISBN: 0149-2918 PMID: 7023675 Document Number: 584
Inpatients (80) with osteoarthrosis received 1.5 g of glucosamine sulfate or placebo daily, in 3 divided oral doses, for 30 days. Articular pain, joint tenderness and swelling and restriction of active and passive movements were scored at 1 wk 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 2 patients of each group and from 1 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 the improvement was as great and as fast as that of the other symptoms. A direct action of glucosamine sulfate on the cartilage is supported by the EM findings. 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. Glucosamine sulfate tends to rebuild the damaged cartilage, thus restoring articular function in most chronic arthrosic patients.
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