A clinical study recently published in The Journal of Rheumatology concludes that a topical cream consisting of a blend of natural oils called cetylated fatty acids significantly increased range of motion and physical performance in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee with no reported side effects.
Another study published in the same journal in 2002 found that capsules containing the same ingredients provided similar relief, even for patients who were taking prescription medication for arthritis.
The proprietary blend of cetylated fatty acids used in both studies is now available in Celecaine, an over-the-counter treatment available in both cream and capsule form from IHS Bioceuticals. The cream is designed for temporary relief of minor aches and pains associated with simple backache, arthritis, strains, bruises and sprains. The capsules are designed to promote joint flexibility, mobility and overall joint health.
"The recent removal of Vioxx from the market has prompted a lot of people to hunt for alternative pain relievers, and the results of these studies suggest that products like Celecaine that utilize cetylated fatty acids may be an effective replacement," said Dr. M.V. Nagendran, MD, Medical Center, Manipal, a participant in one of the clinical trials.
"I have never seen a bioceutical compound work so quickly and effectively in a study on patients," he added. "The compound had other remarkable properties in that the subjects continued to experience improvement after cessation of the study and the product. There are also no reported side effects by any subject/patient. While both of these studies focused on osteoarthritis of the knee, the response is promising and merits further investigation for other kinds of joint pain."
Topical cream study: In the case of the cetylated fatty acid topical cream, the double-blind, placebo-controlled study published this year tested 40 patients who applied either the cream or a placebo twice a day for 30 days. Researchers at the University of Connecticut found that patients who used the cream experienced significant improvements in knee range of motion, balance and strength as well as the ability to climb stairs, rise from a chair and walk. Improvements were observed within 30 minutes, with additional benefits after 30 days.