For Immediate Release
Paractin Featured in New Medical Book
Authors explain compelling research showing Paractin's powerful role in rheumatoid arthritis relief
BRADENTON, FL -- Paractin®, a signature nutraceutical ingredient from Herbal Powers Corp. DBA HP Ingredients. is a subject for the new medical tome, Innovative Rheumatology, published in January by InTech and edited by Hiraoki Matsuno.
Chapter 11 of Innovative Rheumatology is devoted to the extract of the botanical Andrographis paniculata, and provides a clear case for rheumatologists to recommend Paractin® as part of an overall treatment program. The chapter, written by María A. Hidalgo, Juan L. Hancke, Juan C. Bertoglio and Rafael A. Burgos, and entitled, " Andrographolide: a New Potential Drug for the Long Term Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis Disease ," is summarized as a "robustly detailed discussion of andrographolide and neo-andrographolide (diterpenoids in the labdane class)." In this chapter, the authors discuss in detail the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects -- in vivo and in vitro -- of the active compounds contained in Paractin®, and support their explanation with two key studies.
In one double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial (entitled, "Efficacy of an Andrographis paniculata composition (Paractin®) for the relief of rheumatoid arthritis symptoms: A prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial," the researchers looked at the effects of Paractin® on 60 patients with chronic active rheumatoid arthritis. The 14-week study gave each patient either a tablet containing 30 mg of andrographolide or a placebo three times a day. According to the authors, the results of the study show a significant reduction at the end of the treatment in the following parameters in the Paractin group: tender joint, number of swollen joints, total grade of swollen joint, number of tender joints, total grade of swollen joints, total grade of tender joints HAQ 0.52 and SF36 (two health questionnaires). The effect was associated to a reduction of rheumatoid factor, IgA, and C4. The study concludes that the drug was significantly effective in reducing symptoms and serological parameters of the disease and therefore useful as natural complement in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Patients in another study -- entitled, "Monotherapy with an Andrographis paniculata standardized extract (Paractin®) for the symptomatic relief of different chronic rheumatoid conditions: A prospective case report and long term follow up" -- took two tablets of Paractin® containing 150 mg of standardized A. paniculata extract (90 mg andrographolide per day) for 48 month. After 24 months the treatment with Paractin® tablets in patients with either rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, exhibited reduced symptoms. Also, the serum immunological parameters of inflammation were reduced progressively during 48 month of Paractin® treatment.
The chapter concludes, "Several studies describe a potent anti-inflammatory action of Andrographis paniculata and andrographolide. Andrographolide shows a reduction of the production of pro-inflammatory mediators, such as COX-2, iNOS and cytokines. The molecular mechanism of andrographolide implies the reduction of the activation of transcription factors as NF-κB, AP-1, STAT3 and NFAT and the inhibition of intracellular signaling pathways. A. paniculata standardized extract (30% andrographolide) in clinical trials showed effectiveness for symptom relief and reduce serological parameters in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and the data support a long term treatment similar to other DMARDs."
Annie Eng, founder and CEO of HP Ingredients, comments, "It is refreshing to see a chapter devoted to a natural ingredient in a prestigious educational textbook for medical professionals. We have long known that medicine exists in nature, but the expertise to unlock it and test it for proof furthers the very real concept of using dietary supplements as a critical tool to manage health can be highly successful in patient populations."
Paractin® is a patented (US patent #8084495) standardized extract of A. paniculata. Paractin® is a registered trademark of HP Ingredients.
Innovative Rheumatology is hard cover, 307 pages (ISBN: 978-953-51-0916-7). For more information, visit intechopen.com.