Perna canaliculus in the treatment of arthritis

Introduction

Arthritis in one or other of its several forms continues to be a major cause of disability in the UK. Although many non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are now available, none is wholly effective, and side effects remain a problem. The search for a safer and more effective anti-inflammatory agent therefore continues.

Five years ago, a preparation of the New Zealand green lipped mussel, Perna canaliculus, came to our notice, and a preliminary therapeutic trial was carried out in 86 patients, 55 with rheumatoid arthritis and 31 with osteoarthritis. The patients were treated for periods ranging from six months to 4.5 years: 67% of those with rheumatoid arthritis and 35% of those with osteoarthritis benefited. Toxic effects were uncommon and generally mild.

In order to evaluate the efficacy of this preparation more fully, it was decided to carry out a carefully controlled double-blind trial on a similar group of patients. This second trial was also designed to include a greater number of patients suffering from osteoarthritis to obtain a more accurate assessment of the effect of the agent in this condition.