Bonlutin - Ongoing, effective relief from rheumatoid and osteoarthritis

Bonlutin is a novel treatment formula combining fish oil, glucosamine and chondroitin for the management of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis. Preliminary clinical studies have proven Bonlutin to be effective in alleviating joint inflammation, swelling and pain associated with arthritis, while increasing joint mobility.

Bonlutin may also assist in the prevention of muscular aches, pains and cramps and the management of soft tissue trauma, providing relief from the symptoms of tenosynovitis and fibromyalgia. 

GLUCOSAMINE
Glucosamine plays an important role in cartilage health and resilience and is a naturally occurring long chain amino-sugar molecule. It is the major building block of proteoglycans, and is used in the formation of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which bind water within the structure of cartilage and give cartilage its flexible and protective properties. Glucosamine also stimulates collagen production.

Glucosamine has been proven to be at least equal to conventional NSAID therapy for osteoarthritis, with over 20 controlled clinical trials with more than 6000 participants judging it to be effective as a treatment for the relief of pain and functional impairment. It also has a particularly safe toxicity profile, and may be used in conjunction with conventional anti-inflammatory and analgesic treatments, making it an attractive adjuvant therapy option for the management of arthritis.

CHONDROITIN
The effectiveness of chondroitin and glucosamine as co-factors has been clinically proven. Acting as a water and nutrient attractant, chondroitin assists in improving and maintaining adequate levels of synovial fluid in the joints.

Chondrotin is normally the most abundant GAG in the cartilage matrix, and is responsible for binding with collagen, improving and maintaining the strength and cushioning properties of cartilage.

(FISH OILS) OMEGA-3 MARINE TRIGLYCERIDES
Omega-3 marine triglycerides are considered to be essential fatty acids – they are essential for human health, but cannot be manufactured by the body. It is therefore necessary to obtain these acids from food, with fish (particularly fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, herring and mackerel) providing an excellent source.

There are three key types of omega-3 fatty acids that are used by the human body: alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). Once ingested, ALA tends to be converted into the 20- and 22-carbon fatty acids DHA and EPA, the two forms of omega-3 most favoured by the human body. Research has shown that these omega-3 fatty acids may be useful in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and inflammation associated with arthritis.

Fish Oils and Rheumatoid Arthritis
There is a sound biological basis for the benefit of fish oils in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Eicosanoids, which are among the key substances that mediate the intensity and duration of inflammation, are derived from 20-carbon polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Because inflammatory cells usually contain a high proportion of the 20-carbon omega-6 arachidonic acid (AA) compared to other omega-6 20-carbon PUFAs (20:4), AA is usually the major substrate for eicosanoid synthesis during inflammation.

The proinflammatory eicosanoids prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) are both derived from AA. However, EPA (contained in fish oils) can act as a competitive inhibitor of AA conversion to PGE2 and LTB4. Comprehensive studies have therefore demonstrated the effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids in decreasing the production of pro-inflammatory substances such as prostaglandins, leukotrienes and cytokines, all of which are associated with the inflammatory response accompanying arthritis.

In recent years, these studies have been supported by a considerable number of clinical trials in which patients suffering from the effects of arthritis have experienced significant improvements in outcome measures such as tender joints, morning stiffness, grip strength and the interval to fatigue onset.

Fish Oils and Osteoarthritis
One of the key features of the progression of osteoarthritis involves a reduction in cartilage proteoglycans (aggrecans), which leads to cartilage degradation. The catabolism of the aggrecan contained within cartilage is mediated by the activity of proteolytic enzymes known as aggrecanases.

Aggrecanase activity is upregulated by the exposure of cartilage to pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukins-1 and tumour necrosis factor-α, which in turn stimulate the autocrine production of cartilage cytokines, potentiating the degradation process. However, omega-3 fatty acids have also been shown to specifically limit the expression and activity of both aggrecanases and pro-inflammatory cytokines. This evidence for a cartilage-protective effect mediated by fish oils provides a further basis for the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids in the treatment of osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.