Effect of pre-loading oral glucosamine HCI/chondroitin sulfate/manganese ascorbate combination on experimental arthritis in rats

The therapeutic effect of a nutritional supplement consisting of a combinat ion of glucosamine hydrochloride (FCHG49), purified sodium chondroitin sulf ate (TRH122), and manganese ascorbate (GCM)(3) was investigated in the rat model of collagen-induced autoimmune arthritis (CIA). The GCM compound was mixed with a palatable nutritional paste (Nutri-cal(R) [NC]). Oral administ ration of the NC/GCM compound was initiated in 26 rats 10 days before immun ization and continued until the day of sacrifice. One group of 12 control r ats was given no oral agents; a second group of 12 control rats received NC only. Evaluations included arthritis index (AI) scoring by three independe nt evaluators, histologic index (Hr) scoring of lesions, T-cell proliferati on, and serological studies for antibody classes and sub-classes, Both the Al and HI criteria showed a statistically significant reduction in the prev alence of CIA in rats pretreated with the NC/GCM (54%) compared to the comb ined control groups (96%, chi (2) analysis P = 0.001), Rats fed the NC/GCM also exhibited a significant decrease in the severity of autoimmune arthrit is in both the Al and HI compared to control Group 2 (immunized-NC) (chi (2 ) analysis P < 0.05), Histological studies verified the decreased incidence of arthritis in the NC/GCM group compared to control Group 2. GCM treatment failed to alter T-cell proliferation and antibody production to bovine type-if collagen, indicating that its effects are not due to alte ration of the antigen-specific immune response.