Chondroitin sulfate has many biological activities and can be used as medicine and healthy food. It is mainly used in osteoarthritis (OA) and coronary atherosclerotic heart disease (CHD). Chondroitin sulfate is extracted from the cartilage of pigs, cows, fish, and chickens. Mr is between 10 * 103~50 * 103.

Chondroitin sulfate/glucosamine has been used as a prescription or over-the-counter drug for the treatment of OA in Europe for more than 20 years and has been approved as a government compensatory health insurance. The raw material of chondroitin sulfate for drug production is a high purity (95%) and low MR.

Chondroitin sulfate from Australia belongs to nutritional and health products. Common chondroitin sulfate products on the market are used to prevent and treat OA. Australia classifies nutritional and health medicines into adjuvant medicines, which are administered by the Drug Administration of the Federal Ministry of Health.

Chondroitin sulfate is an over-the-counter drug in Japan. Eye drops are used to supplement tears or protect the cornea. Oral preparations are arthralgia analgesics.

In 1992, CosaminDS, a patented product of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine produced by Bioiberica AS Pharmaceutical Company in Spain, was examined and approved by FDA in accordance with the Regulations on Drug, Food and Cosmetics Administration. The United States has identified such cartilage protectors as dietary supplements rather than drugs.

In developed countries, OA is a common joint disease. The most common symptoms are pain and loss of function caused by articular cartilage damage. About 27 million people in the United States suffer from OA, and annual social consumption is estimated to exceed $60 billion. Owing to the aging of the population, the number of OA patients has increased rapidly. It is estimated that the number of OA patients will double between 2005 and 2030, which will become one of the major social and economic burdens.

As a symptomatic slow-acting drug for OA, chondroitin sulfate has the following clinical benefits:

(1) relieving pain;

(2) improving function;

(3) reducing consumption of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or analgesics.

A recent randomized, double-blind clinical trial examined the therapeutic effects of glucosamine, chondroitin sulfate, and their combination on OA. The results showed that hyaluronic acid glucose and chondroitin sulfate could improve the pain of some moderate and severe patients. Chondroitin sulfate significantly alleviated joint swelling in patients with mild OA. Chondroitin sulfate can also improve joint mobility.

In recent years, randomized clinical trials have shown that oral chondroitin sulfate is effective in treating knee arthritis, finger arthritis, and hip arthritis. Oral chondroitin sulfate has a slow onset, but it has a long-lasting effect. At the same time, its safety and tolerance are very good. In addition, recent studies of high methodological quality have yielded encouraging results that chondroitin sulfate can inhibit joint space narrowing.

The author believes that when referring to the results of clinical trials reported abroad, attention should be paid to the animal sources, quality standards, and Mr. of chondroitin sulfate raw materials used; when making clinical trials with domestic products, according to their indications, the production process of raw materials should be designed, and the composition and MR should be well controlled.

There are three mechanisms of chondroitin sulfate’s clinical effects:

(1) directly activating the production of intercellular mediators through chondrocytes;

(2) inhibiting inflammatory mediators;

(3) inhibiting cartilage degeneration.

In conclusion, the application of chondroitin sulfate is reasonable and can be used as a good choice for the treatment of OA.

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