Background
OA, arthritis, pain, synovial joints, Knee osteoarthritis, EC-HC-II
DISEASE, KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS, ARTHRITIS
Knee osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease affecting an entire joint, including the articular cartilage, subchondral bone, synovial tissues, and menisci [Therapies for OA include over-the-counter analgesics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, intra-articular injections of corticosteroids or hyaluronic acid (HA), tramadol, and other opioid analgesics [Individuals with OA typically switch to natural nutraceuticals for pain and discomfort relief. Nutraceuticals or their components are functional foods and natural products that have medicinal, therapeutic, or other health benefits. Glucosamine HCl and chondroitin are the most commonly used nutraceuticals that alleviate pain associated with arthritis [Considering these findings, we developed hydrolyzed collagen type II (HC-II), a type II CH derived from chicken cartilage, and BRAND'S Essence of Chicken (EC) plus type II hydrolyzed collagen HC-II (EC-HC-II), a chicken essence supplement with additional HC-II. HC-II is a naturally occurring soluble matrix of hydrolyzed collagen type II, chondroitin sulfate, and HA. Its composition is similar to that of the human articular cartilage lining in the synovial joints. This randomized, double-blind, four-arm pilot study was undertaken to investigate the effects of EC-HC-II on joint, bone, and muscle functions in patients with OA and its tolerability.