Rosehip 'better than painkillers' for arthritis

May 20, 2008

or-arthritis.html

By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent

Last Updated: 1:02AM BST 19/05/2008

Rosehip could be more effective than painkillers at easing the pain of

arthritis sufferers, scientists claim. The pain-relieving properties of

rosehip, which has previously been linked to reduced inflammation in

osteoarthritis, have been suggested for decades. Now scientists have found that

powder made from a wild variety of rosehip, Rosa canina, is better at reducing

pain in patients than paracetamol.

It is hoped that the fruit of the plant could bring relief to the more than

two million sufferers of osteoarthritis in Britain, many of whom suffer acute

pain.

A review of studies, published in the medical journal, Osteoarthritis and

Cartilage, looked at the effect of the powder on more than 300 patients who were

given different pain-relieving medications for an average of three months.

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They found that rosehip was almost three times more effective than standard

paracetamol at relieving pain. It was also almost 40 per cent more effective

than another common therapy, the drug glucosamine.

Rosehip powder also did not have the side-effects associated with other pain

medications, including constipation and

drowsiness.

The team which conducted the study, led by Dr Robin Christensen, of the

Frederiksberg Hospital in Copenhagen, believes the powder works by also tackling

the inflammation associated with osteoarthritis.

Dr Kaj Winther, an inflammation specialist at the Frederiksberg Hospital,

said: " This is very exciting news for arthritis sufferers. Some of the main

advantages of taking an alternative medication such as rosehip to reduce pain

are that, firstly, it is readily available over the counter and, secondly,

unlike traditional painkillers, it does not produce unpleasant side-effects. "

Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint in the body, although it is most common

in the hands, knees, hips and spine. The disease is caused by the slow

deterioration of the joint over many years and tends to run in families.

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