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New Study of Borage Oil Suggests it May Help Treat
Juvenile Arthritis
Research results presented at American College
of Rheumatology's Annual Meeting
BOSTON, MASS, November 15, 1999 - In the United States,
thousands of children, some of whom are as young as
six months old, have juvenile rheumatoid arthritis,
a potentially debilitating disease that recently responded
to treatment with Gamma-linolenic Acid (GLA).
Deborah Rothman, MD, PhD, observed improvement in patients
taking GLA during a recent study she conducted at Shriners
Hospital for Children in Springfield, Mass. She presented
preliminary data from the study November 15, 1999, during
the Annual Meeting of the American College of Rheumatology
in Boston, Mass.
GLA is an essential fatty acid found in oil derived
from borage plant seeds. In the mid 1990s, scientists
at the University of Pennsylvania and the University
of Michigan observed that adult rheumatoid arthritis
patients receiving borage oil capsules in double-blind,
placebo-controlled studies experienced reduced pain,
morning stiffness, joint tenderness and swelling. Dr.
Rothman's study confirms similar results in juveniles.
Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis is the most common connective
tissue disease in children. The American College of
Rheumatology estimates that 50,000 juveniles in the
U.S. have it. Severe cases can lead to weight loss,
failure to grow and psychological regression. More mild
complications include morning stiffness, night pain
and dependence on nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAID).
NSAID include aspirin, nabumetone, and naproxen. These
drugs provide pain relief, but cause side effects in
10-50% of the patients who use them long-term. The side
effects include abdominal pain, diarrhea, bloating,
heartburn and upset stomach. Fifteen percent of patients
on long-term NSAID treatment develop ulcers of the stomach.
Animal studies show that GLA provides an anti-ulcer
effect by protecting the stomach lining from gastric
acid. Observations published in Annals of Rheumatoid
Disease (vol. 47, 1988) indicate that patients can reduce
their dependence on NSAID by adding GLA to their treatment
regimens.
GLA is available over-the-counter in oil and capsule
form. While there are a number of sources of GLA, borage
oil contains the highest concentration, up to 23%, of
GLA available on the market. Because borage oil contains
high concentrations of the active ingredient, patients
can take fewer capsules to achieve the required dosage.
- Source: American College of
Rheumatology
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