Volume 11, Issue 5, 20 July 2004, Pages 383–391
A herbal remedy, Hyben Vital (stand. powder of a subspecies of Rosa canina fruits), reduces pain and improves general wellbeing in patients with osteoarthritis—a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial
Abstract
The
treatment of osteoarthritis, a disease that eventually affects the
majority of the older population, involves the alleviation of symptoms
such as pain and stiffness, and the reduction of inflammation. The
double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study reported here examined
the effect of Hyben Vital, a herbal remedy made from a subtype of Rosa canina
and recently reported to have anti-inflammatory properties, on the
symptoms of osteoarthritis. One hundred and twelve patients with
osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to treatment with either Hyben
Vital 5 g daily or an identical placebo for 3 months, followed
immediately by the alternative treatment. The patients assessed changes
in joint pain and stiffness after each treatment period on a 5-point
categorical scale. General wellbeing, including mood, sleep quality and
energy were also assessed and recorded in a personal diary.
The
results in the two arms of the crossover differed markedly. Group A
(placebo first) showed significantly more improvement from Hyben Vital
than from placebo, p<0.0078 for pain and <0.0025 for
stiffness. But Group B (Hyben Vital first) revealed a positive effect of
the same order as for Hyben Vital in group A, not only from the active
drug, but also from placebo (difference not significant). An identical
pattern was observed when we evaluated general wellbeing from the diary
records. When patients, on the basis of reduction in joint pain, were
divided into responders and non-responders, the first 3 months of active
treatment (group A) showed a response rate of 31/47 (66%) compared to
that of placebo (group B) 18/50 (36%), p<0.0185. No major
side effects occurred in either group. The data indicate that Hyben
Vital reduces the symptoms of osteoarthritis. We interpret the marked
differences in the responses of the two groups as indicating a strong
“carryover” effect of Hyben Vital.
Keywords
- Pain;
- Stiffness;
- General wellbeing;
- Herbal remedies;
- Rosa canina;
- Osteoarthritis;
- Double-blind study
- Corresponding author. Tel.:
+45-39773129; fax: +45-39777676
Copyright © 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
