Tier 3 — preclinical

Effect of a natural extract of chicken combs with a high content of hyaluronic acid (Hyal-Joint) on pain relief and quality of life in subjects with knee osteoarthritis: a pilot randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial

Douglas S Kalman, Maria Heimer, Anita Valdeon, Howard Schwartz, Eric Sheldon
Nutrition Journal 2008 7:3

Bibliography

PubMed
PMID 18208600
PubMed Central
PMC2245974
DOI
10.1186/1475-2891-7-3

Study snapshot

DesignPilot randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial
ModelAdults aged 40 years or older with knee osteoarthritis
Samplen=20
InterventionHyal-Joint natural chicken-comb extract 80 mg/day (reported as 60% HA) versus placebo
Duration8 weeks
EndpointsWOMAC pain; WOMAC stiffness; WOMAC physical function; SF-36 quality of life

What the study showed, in plain terms

This pilot trial randomized only 20 adults with knee osteoarthritis to 80 mg/day of Hyal-Joint, a chicken-comb extract containing 60% hyaluronic acid, or placebo for eight weeks.

Both groups improved. The primary WOMAC pain score did not differ significantly between active product and placebo, although some quality-of-life measures favored the active group.

Because the study was tiny and the intervention was an extract rather than isolated HA, it is supportive background evidence rather than a strong efficacy trial.

Key findings

  • Primary WOMAC pain was similar between groups.
  • Some SF-36 quality-of-life changes were larger with Hyal-Joint.
  • The authors explicitly called for larger studies.

What this study can and cannot tell us

  • Only 20 participants.
  • The tested chicken-comb extract was not isolated HA.
  • The primary pain endpoint did not show a significant between-group advantage.

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Dr. Khaled Mahmoud, MBBChCritical Care Medicine, Longevity Science & Editorial Direction Dr. Amr Yasser, PhDCardiometabolic, Musculoskeletal, Gut & Bioavailability Dr. Abdulla Mostafa, PhDCellular Senescence, Neurological, Mitochondrial & Brain-Ageing Biology