We must not confuse osteoarthritis and arthritis: in the case of osteoarthritis, we speak of “mechanical” pathology: the cartilage of the joint deteriorates little by little and pain appears during movement, since the bones rub against each other. Osteoarthritis is mainly linked to aging and the joints most affected are those of the knee, hip or spine.
The case of arthritis is a little different: it is an inflammation of the joint and the body produces substances (quinines) which gradually destroy the cartilage. Arthritis can be immune (rheumatoid arthritis), infectious (septic arthritis), or metabolic (gout). The pain appears mainly at rest and mainly concerns the joints of the hands and / or feet.
Brown algae may be helpful in arthritis, according to a new international study published in the scientific journal Biomaterials Science. The researchers were mainly interested in Laminaria hyperborea, a brown alga native to Scandinavian countries from which they extracted an active substance, alginate sulfate.
Anti-inflammatory brown algae against oxidative stress
Through various experiments, scientists first discovered that alginate sulfate could decrease oxidative stress, which accelerates the development of arthritis. Better still: this molecule of natural origin would considerably reduce the inflammatory reaction which allows the progression of the disease, thus protecting the articular cartilage.
Next step in the research: testing the molecule on animals. If these tests prove to be conclusive, clinical studies will be carried out on human volunteers. In a few years, perhaps we will be able to develop an arthritis treatment based on brown algae …
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