Therapeutic nutraceutical treatments for osteoarthritis and ischaemia

Abstract

There has been a very large increase in nutraceutical innovations, particularly in the US regulatory marketplace. This article reviews the therapeutic potential of a group of nutraceuticals that share common biochemical pathways, and have shown spectacular marketplace success. These are energy metabolites and precursor molecules involved in the metabolic mechanisms of cartilage replacement and cellular energy functions. The commercial nutraceuticals are glucosamine, ribose and their derivatives. These compounds are considered required nutrients for the repair of cartilage and connective tissues and optimal cellular energy maintenance in active, middle aged individuals. The recent scientific and patent literature in this segment of the nutraceutical marketplace is reviewed.

• cartilage
• Chondroitin sulphate
• collagen
• connective tissue
• Glucosamine
• glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase
• glycosaminoglycan
• hexose monophosphate
• hyaluronic acid
• ischaemia
• myocardial
• N-acetyl-Glucosamine
• osteoarthritis
• ribose