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Osteoarthritis is a significant global health problem. Many patients seek more effective alternatives to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines or commercial supplements to manage joint pain and inflammation. FlexPro MD^® (FP-MD) combines krill oil, astaxanthin, and lower molecular weight hyaluronic acid to support joint health. A 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial compared the efficacy and safety of FP-MD and placebo once daily in participants (n = 100) with mild osteoarthritis of the knee or hip joint. For the primary endpoint of joint pain score, per-protocol participants (n = 75) in the FP-MD group (n = 37) had a statistically significantly greater mean reduction from baseline in the Korean Visual Analog Scale (K-VAS) at week 12 compared with participants in the placebo group (n = 38) (20.8 ± 16.16 mm vs. 10.6 ± 17.58, p = 0.0105). The Korean Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (K-WOMAC) total score was also significantly improved in the FP-MD group at week 12 compared with placebo (−13.0 ± 13.62 vs. −5.5 ± 18.08, p = 0.0489), especially an improvement in pain score (−2.5 ± 2.92 vs. −1.3 ± 3.94, p = 0.02635). FP-MD group had greater improvement in joint function scoring by investigator assessment (p = 0.0127) and by group participants (p = 0.0070). A statistically significantly greater number of patients reported adverse events in the placebo group compared with the FP-MD group (16% vs. 4%, p = 0.0455), most commonly gastrointestinal disorders in both of the groups. These findings suggest that FP-MD is well tolerated and can be effectively used to address joint pain in patients diagnosed with mild osteoarthritis, the main symptom of this condition. Full article

Inflammation linked to various diseases is the biological response to certain stimuli. The pro-inflammatory potential of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) as potential inducers of inflammation bound to the Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR4) and the anti-inflammatory capacity of A. paniculata (AP) phytocompounds as prospective inhibitors of the Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NF-κB) p50 transcription factor are investigated via in silico techniques. The molecular docking of the PAHs and AP phytocompounds is performed in AutoDock Vina by calculating their binding energies. The molecular dynamics simulations (MDS) of the apo and ligand-bound complex of the top binding ligands were performed in CABS-flex. The agonists, which included the PAHs indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (IP), and dibenz(a,h)anthracene (DahA), had the highest binding energies of −10 kcal/mol and −9.2 kcal/mol, respectively. The most stable antagonists in the binding site with binding energies to the NF-κB p50 were the AP phytocompounds with −5.6 kcal/mol for ergosterol peroxide and −5.3 kcal/mol for 14-deoxy-14,15-dehydroandrographolide. The MDS of the apo human TLR4 and PAH-bound TLR4, and the apo p50 and the AP phytocompound-bound NF-κB p50 showed minimal fluctuations. These results reveal that IP and DahA are significant inducers of inflammation, whereas ergosterol peroxide and 14-deoxy-14,15-dehydroandrographolide are inhibitors of the NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, the study theorizes that any inflammatory activity induced by PAH can be potentially inhibited by A. paniculata phytocompounds. Full article

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease and a leading cause of adult disability. Since there is no cure for OA and no effective treatment to slow its progression, current pharmacologic treatments, such as analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), only alleviate symptoms, such as pain and inflammation, but do not inhibit the disease process. Moreover, chronic intake of these drugs may result in severe adverse effects. For these reasons, patients have turned to the use of various complementary and alternative approaches, including diverse dietary supplements and nutraceuticals, in an effort to improve symptoms and manage or slow disease progression. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anti-osteoarthritic effects of FlexPro MD^® (a mixture of krill oil, astaxanthin, and hyaluronic acid; FP-MD) in a rat model of OA induced by monosodium iodoacetate (MIA). FP-MD significantly ameliorated joint pain and decreased the severity of articular cartilage destruction in rats that received oral supplementation for 7 days prior to MIA administration and for 21 days thereafter. Furthermore, FP-MD treatment significantly reduced serum levels of the articular cartilage degeneration biomarkers cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and crosslinked C-telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II), and the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), as well as mRNA expression levels of inflammatory mediators, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), and matrix-degrading enzymes, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, in the knee joint tissue. Our findings suggest that FP-MD is a promising dietary supplement for reducing pain, minimizing cartilage damage, and improving functional status in OA, without the disadvantages of previous dietary supplements and medicinal agents, including multiple adverse effects. Full article