Randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy of Litsea japonica fruit extract in subjects with mild to moderate knee osteoarthritis

• Published in: Journal of functional foods Vol. 34; pp. 304 - 310
• Main Authors: Ahn, Youngsook, Kwon, Oran, Kim, Eun Ae, Yoon, Weon-Jong, Kim, Jae Hwa, Kim, Ji Yeon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.07.2017; Elsevier
• Subjects: Litsea japonica; MMP-9; Osteoarthritis; VAS; WOMAC; CRP; MIA; ESR; VAS; COMP; MMP; OA; WOMAC; CTX-II; Litsea japonica; Osteoarthritis; MMP-9; BMI; TIMP
• ISSN: 1756-4646; 2214-9414
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jff.2017.05.005

•LJF has been shown to improve symptoms related to mild to moderate knee OA.•Twelve weeks of LJF administration improved VAS and WOMAC scores.•The plasma MMP-9 level also significantly decreased.•This study is the first to show the anti-osteoarthritis effect of LJF in humans. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we evaluated the efficacy of Litsea japonica fruit extract (LJF) in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). Eighty-seven 50- to 70-year-old subjects with knee OA were assigned to a placebo group, a low-dose LJF group (LJF-L, 100mg/d) or a high-dose LJF group (LJF-H, 200mg/d) for 12weeks. The outcome measures were pain score assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS); Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) scores; and blood and urine biomarkers. In response to LJF consumption, VAS scores; WOMAC total scores; WOMAC scores on the pain, stiffness and function subscales; and blood MMP-9 levels significantly improved over the course of the examined 12-week period (P=0.0001, 0.0102, 0.0293, 0.002, 0.0152 and 0.026, respectively). This study suggests that LJF may reduce joint pain and stiffness and improve joint function in subjects with painful knee OA. Study identifier: KCT0001029 (www.who.int/ictrp/en/).