Osteoarthritis (oa) is a degenerative disease with high incidence, which mostly occurs after middle age. Among the elderly over 65 years old, 70% have symptoms of oa, which is the most common joint disease and the second largest cause of long-term disability in adults. Clinical treatment includes non-surgical treatment and surgical treatment. The former is the main one. Drug therapy constitutes the main part of non-surgical treatment, including acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, glucosamine, hyaluronic acid, hormones and so on. Among them, acetaminophen and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs have become the most commonly used first-line drugs for the treatment of osteoarthritis because they can relieve pain and control symptoms.
In 1956, Swedish researchers first discovered that glucosamine hydrochloride may play a role in the etiology of osteoarthritis. After decades of research and clinical trials by scientists all over the world, glucosamine has been widely used as the first choice for the treatment of osteoarthritis in the United States and European countries since the end of the 20th century. A large number of clinical studies show that glucosamine is very safe in the treatment of early and middle osteoarthritis, which is reflected in the fact that there are few adverse events during the medication process and the patient's medication compliance is satisfactory. This is one of the reasons why the US Food and Drug Administration classifies such products as over-the-counter drugs and health care products according to usp 25. However, in Europe, such products are managed as prescription drugs and provided to patients because of their certain clinical efficacy.
Foreign researchers believe that glucosamine is a small molecule compound, which easily penetrates the biofilm and has strong affinity with cartilage in joints. It is the substrate of proteoglycan synthesis, and more importantly, it can inhibit some enzymes that damage cartilage. These enzymes can damage cartilage and spread to surrounding tissues, so oral glucosamine can not only inhibit the enzymes that damage cartilage, but also protect cartilage. It is precisely because glucosamine may change the structure of articular cartilage. Regulating the metabolism of articular cartilage can delay the course of arthritis. Therefore, these products have become potential drugs to improve the condition of osteoarthritis.
Mintel Company, a market research organization, pointed out that the number of products containing glucosamine launched by merchants all over the world is growing steadily, and the annual sales of bone and joint health food in the United States is 900 million to 654.38+0 billion dollars. The annual growth rate of glucosamine products is as high as 36%. 20 10 China accounts for 85%-90% of the global market share of glucosamine raw materials. It is expected that its share will maintain a leading position in the market for many years to come. According to mintel's Global New Product Database (gnpd), more than 200 new products containing glucosamine have been listed in the world.
North America is the fastest growing glucosamine market in the world, with a compound annual growth rate of 17.8% in 2000-20/3. By 20 13, its share in the global glucosamine market will reach 33%, followed by the European market, with a compound annual growth rate of 16. 1%.
With the improvement of consumers' health awareness and the desire for products containing this raw material, there are two important development trends in the glucosamine market: the market turns to developing countries; At present, China has also entered the mass consumption from a big raw material country, and glucosamine has also begun to appear in foods, medicines and beverages.
Therefore, glucosamine, a powerful bone and joint health care product, has many manufacturers and different varieties. As an ordinary consumer, how should we choose glucosamine products?
According to the severity of symptoms:
Many clinical studies suggest that glucosamine can relieve joint pain and improve the overall function of affected joints after 8 ~ 12 weeks of treatment for osteoarthritis, and its overall effect is equivalent to that of acetaminophen 1000 mg per day, which is better than that of patients taking placebo. The results of three years' medication show that glucosamine can relieve joint pain caused by mild to moderate osteoarthritis. In addition, the study also shows that glucosamine can effectively delay the stenosis of joint space in osteoarthritis and relieve joint pain. The study also shows that the curative effect of glucosamine on severe osteoarthritis is not ideal. Therefore, mild to moderate osteoarthritis includes knee joint, shoulder joint, hip joint, wrist joint, cervical spine joint and ankle joint. Glucosamine can be chosen as the first choice for health care and clinical treatment, which can relieve and eliminate the pain and swelling of osteoarthritis and improve the function of joint movement. Patients with severe osteoarthritis are advised to use it in combination with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs. Combined use can reduce the dosage of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs, and then reduce the side effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and analgesic drugs.
Many studies have shown that oral administration of 1500mg glucosamine preparation will not affect insulin sensitivity, fasting blood glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin value. Diabetic patients can also use it with confidence.
According to the choice of raw material source:
At present, glucosamine can be divided into two categories according to the source of raw materials: one is glucosamine extracted from natural marine shrimp and crab shells, and the other is fermented glucosamine, also known as vegetarian glucosamine.
Glucosamine in shrimp and crab shells;
Glucosamine in shrimp and crab shells is the most important glucosamine in the market at present, accounting for about 85-90% of the total. Glucosamine in shrimp and crab shells is hydrolyzed from chitin, but it is actually a natural biopolymer. Since the 1970s, China has used a large number of shrimp and crab shells, which are by-products of marine aquatic products processing in coastal areas, to produce chitin, and then developed a series of derivative products such as chitosan and glucosamine. At the end of 1990s, China has become the largest producer and exporter of chitin and glucosamine in the world.
At present, at least 20 enterprises in the coastal areas of China are producing glucosamine. The total production capacity of glucosamine (including polydextrose) in China is 14000 ~ 15000 tons, and the actual output is about 13500 tons. Among the top three, Fujian Huabao Marine Biochemical Factory is the highest, accounting for about 30% of the total output, Zhejiang Golden Shell Biochemical Factory accounts for 13% of the total output, Jiangsu Rixing Biochemical Products Factory accounts for 10% of the total output, and there are also several small-scale factories in Shandong, Guangdong and Guangxi, with small output. In addition, Vietnam, India, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries can also produce 300-400 tons of glucosamine in shrimp and crab shells every year.
Among them, Huabao Marine Biochemical Factory is the only factory in China that has passed the official GMP certification of shell-derived amino sugar raw materials in North America and the European Union, so it is also the only factory in China that can be sold to foreign pharmaceutical companies as raw materials. Viartril, a famous brand of amino sugar anti-arthritis drugs in Europe and America, comes from the company's raw materials.
Vegetarian glucosamine:
There is a major limitation in the use of glucosamine, that is, this raw material usually comes from aquatic shellfish. This means that it is not suitable for vegetarians and people who strictly follow Jewish eating habits.
In order to meet this market demand, many businesses began to introduce glucosamine from vegetarian sources, including regenasure of Cargill and jointastin of cyanotech. Its composition and efficacy are completely equivalent to glucosamine in shrimp and crab shells, but its production cost is high because of its downstream process difficulties. Hundreds of tons of vegetarian glucosamine every year. At present, a small amount of glucosamine is produced from citric acid residue and mushrooms in China, which also belongs to vegetarian glucosamine.
For ordinary consumers, glucosamine products derived from glucosamine extracted from shrimp and crab shells are recommended. Its price is moderate and its quality is guaranteed. Tretinoin is especially recommended here as an otc imported from Europe.
According to the choice of single component and compound prescription:
In the international market, there are more than 200 glucosamine products. In recent years, many companies in China have produced glucosamine products, such as "Puli" produced by COSCO Wei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.