Inflammation, a natural process, helps to protect the body from infections and foreign substances such as bacteria. Chronic inflammation can, however, lead to diseases such as arthritis and Crohn's disease. Symptoms of inflammation include redness, joint pain, loss of joint function and stiffness. Some supplements may be helpful for chronic inflammation, but a doctor should always be consulted before starting a supplement program.
Devil's Claw
Harpagophytum procumbens, more commonly known as devil's claw, is a shrub native to southern Africa. Devil's claw contains a compound called harpagoside, which may have anti-inflammatory effects. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs, are medications usually prescribed to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis. In a study published in a 2000 issue of "Phytomedicine," researchers studied the effect of devil's claw on patients suffering from osteoarthritis.
The team found that 435mg of devil's claw given six times a day helped reduced the symptoms of arthritis and significantly reduced the amount of NSAIDs taken by the patients. Osteoarthritis patients should consult a doctor before taking any devil's claw supplements.
Boswellia
Crohn's disease, a chronic inflammatory bowel disease, causes inflammation of the digestive tract. Typical symptoms include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating and poor appetite. Mesalazine, also known as mesalamine, is an anti-inflammatory drug used in the treatment of inflammatory bowel disorders such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. In a study published in a 2001 issue of "Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie," researchers found that in terms of efficacy and safety, Boswellia serrata was superior to mesalazine in the treatment of Crohn's disease.
The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends 1200mg of Boswellia serrata, taken three times a day for up to eight weeks. Patients suffering from Crohn's disease should consult a doctor before taking any Boswellia serrata supplements.
Ginger
Ginger, the underground stem of the Zingiber officinale plant, contains active volatile oils and compounds such as gingerols and shogaols. In a study published in the 2005 issue of "The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine," researchers studied the anti-inflammatory effects of ginger. The team notes in the background to their study that ginger has a long history of anti-inflammatory use, particularly for arthritis. The team found that ginger helps to inhibit pro-inflammatory compounds in the body called chemokine and concluded that ginger may be useful for suppressing inflammation due to arthritis.
UMMC recommends 75mg to 2,000mg of a standardized dose of ginger daily containing 5 percent gingerols or shogaols. Arthritis sufferers should consult a health care professional before taking any ginger supplements.
References
- "Phytomedicine": Efficacy and Tolerance or Harpagophytum Procumbens versus diacerhein in Treatment of Osteoarthritis; P. Chante et al.; 2000
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Devil's Claw
- "Zeitschrift fur Gastroenterologie"; Therapy of Active Crohn's Disease With Boswellia Serrata Extract H 15: H. Gerhardt et al.; 2001
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Crohn's Disease
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Ginger
- "The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine"; Ginger Extract Components Suppress Induction of Chemokine Expression in Human Synoviocytes; P.V. Phan et al.; 2005
