Management of symptoms, pain and mobility with supplementary managements (including Movardol Forte) in osteoarthrosis: A 6-month, morphology supplement study

BACKGROUND: This registry evaluated improvements in osteoarthrosis (OA) in subjects managed using pharma-standard supplements in 2 daily doses. METHODS: The group included management groups using:1) chondroitin-glucosamine; 2) only glucosamine; 3) Movardol Forte sachets, in comparison with; 4) standard management (SM). Other two groups 5) boswellia + ginger extract; and 6) only physiotherapy (drug treatment not associated) were subsequently added. Movardol Forte (Leonardo Medica, Vinci, Florence, Italy) is a new standardized supplement including N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, ginger, boswellia and centella extracts, used to manage symptoms linked to osteoarthrosis. Otherwise healthy subjects with OA symptoms were evaluated. This study focused on symptoms and on ultrasound changes at the joint structures in 6 months. RESULTS: The 6 groups, after 6 months, resulted clinically comparable. No tolerability problems due to the supplementation were observed. All subjects progressively improved - from 3 to 6 months - with the standard management; a further improvement was observed with the added supplementary managements. Movardol Forte obtained the best results on functions (pain-free walking distance and total walking distance) (P<0.05), on pain score, in limiting the need for medical treatment and rescue medications and considering the number of minimal side effects (P<0.05). Cartilage thickness was progressively improved (better than in the other groups P<0.05). Also surface regularity and effusion in joints were improved more with Movardol Forte (P<0.05) in comparison with the other groups, possibly due to a specific activity on the articular surface by the modulation of collagen induced by Centella Asiatica. At inclusion and at 6 months the Karnofsky Scale, oxstress and thermography (number of hyperthermic knees) were significantly lower with Movardol Forte supplementation in comparison with the managements in the other groups (P<0.05); all groups showed positive results at 6 months. The comparison with standard management was significantly in favor of Movardol Forte (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This registry - including 6 different management plans for symptoms linked to OA - indicates that the use of NAG and Centella Asiatica is effective in remodeling the knee cartilages - especially in relatively younger subjects - and very safe. The effects of cartilage remodeling (using Movardol Forte) may occur in months but the most common symptoms tend to disappear in a much shorter period.