VERY
SPECIAL NUTRITION ARTICLE FOLLOWS
Chondroitin Sulfate Shines
by James M. Cox DC DACBR FICC HonDLitt FACO(H)
Discat Plus is a
Chondroitin Sulfate formula I developed in 1966 following reading the work of
Cole, Ghosh and Taylor in a two volume text entitled “THE BIOLOGY OF THE
INTERVERTEBRAL DISC”. This text was far ahead of its time. Following studying
it, I gained awareness of stopping disc degeneration, prompting disc
regeneration, and a beginning of possibly controlling spine pain with
chondroitin sulfate administration to people.
The source of
Chondroitin Sulfate I used and still use was perna canaliculus, a green lipped
mussel from New Zealand and Australia that is harvested from the ocean (see image). It is
the highest source of Chondroitin Sulfate known. The intervertebral disc
contains a mucopolysaccharide compound know as glycosaminoglycan that absorbs
fluid to give the disc its property of turgor (stiffness) within its cells.
Loss of glycosaminoglycan accompanies disc degeneration and disc herniation.
Glycosaminoglycan is Chondroitin Sulfate. Thus the relationship between
administering Chondroitin Sulfate (Discat Plus) along with Cox® Technic for
treating disc degeneration and herniation began.
In 1966 I
formulated Discat Plus (with Chondroitin Sulfate). This was twenty to thirty
years before commercial ventures like health food stores and commercial television
learned of it and started to sell it. Remember it takes 17 years for a
new idea or fact to settle into common knowledge. This was true for chondroitin
sulfate.
Now we are seeing
pain relief as well as the anti-inflammatory benefits of Chondroitin Sulfate (as
in Discat Plus). Please read the following relief of tactile allodynia in the
mouse model when oral chondroitin sulfate was given. This is published in an article by Nemoto in J Pharmacol Sci. 2016 Aug 5. pii:
S1347-8613(16)30091-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jphs.2016.07.009.
Researchers from
Australia's RMIT University and SGE International Pty Ltd state that novel
omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids extracts from the green-lipped mussel
(Perna canaliculus) inhibited leukotriene and cyclo-oxygenase (COX) activity,
both of which are involved in the inflammatory process. Chronic inflammation
has been linked to a range of conditions like heart disease, osteoporosis,
cognitive decline and Alzheimer's, and type-2 diabetes.
The functions of
CHONDROITIN SULFATE PROTEOGLYCANS (CS-PGs) in the central nervous system can be
categorized as the regulation of cell adhesion and migration, neurite
formation, polarization of neurons, synaptic plasticity, survival of neurons,
etc. Chondroitin sulfate (perna canaliculus) is reported to:
- Repair
degraded bone
- Increase
absorption and replacement of calcium
- Rebuild
damaged bone, cartilage, tendon, ligament, and disc
Again, I first
formulated Discat Plus in 1966 (Click here for information packet.), continued its improvement as research dictated,
and continue to use it and make it available to doctors who understand its
benefits. Also its use is strengthened by continued research. If interested in
this beneficial nutritional addition to the treatment of disc degeneration and
spinal stenosis, contact www.coxtrc.com or email.
The following information is from this source: Nemoto W,
Yamada K, Ogata Y, Nakagawasai O, Onodera K, Sakurai H, Tan-No K. Chondroitin
sulfate attenuates formalin-induced persistent tactile allodynia. J Pharmacol
Sci Aug 5. pii: S1347-8613(16)30091-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jphs.2016.07.009. [Epub
ahead of print]
We examined the effect of
chondroitin sulfate (CS), a compound used in the treatment of osteoarthritis
and joint pain, on the formalin-induced tactile allodynia in mice. A repeated
oral administration of CS (300 mg/kg, b.i.d.) significantly ameliorated the
formalin-induced tactile allodynia from day 10 after formalin injection. On day
14, the phosphorylation of spinal p38 MAPK and subsequent increase in
c-Fos-immunoreactive dorsal lumbar neurons were attenuated by the repeated
administration of CS. These findings suggest that CS attenuates
formalin-induced tactile allodynia through the inhibition of p38 MAPK
phosphorylation and subsequent up-regulation of c-Fos expression in the dorsal
lumbar spinal cord.
CHONDROITIN SULFATE (CS)
IS USED IN THE TREATMENT OF OSTEOARTHRITIS AND JOINT PAIN. IT HAS ALSO SHOWN
RELIEF OF TACTILE ALLODYNIA IN MOUSE STUDIES. A REPEATED ORAL ADMINISTRATION OF
CS (300 MG/KG, B.I.D.) SIGNIFICANTLY AMELIORATED THE FORMALIN-INDUCED TACTILE
ALLODYNIA FROM DAY 10 AFTER FORMALIN INJECTION. ON DAY 14, THE PHOSPHORYLATION
OF SPINAL P38 MAPK AND SUBSEQUENT INCREASE IN C-FOS-IMMUNOREACTIVE DORSAL
LUMBAR NEURONS WERE ATTENUATED BY THE REPEATED ADMINISTRATION OF CS. THESE
FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT CS ATTENUATES FORMALIN-INDUCED TACTILE ALLODYNIA THROUGH
THE INHIBITION OF P38 MAPK PHOSPHORYLATION AND SUBSEQUENT UP-REGULATION OF
C-FOS EXPRESSION IN THE DORSAL LUMBAR SPINAL CORD.
NOTES FROM JMC:
First what is tactile allodynia? It is pain caused by touch such
as clothing against the skin. It is pain caused by so little irritation it
would not be considered to cause pain.
What does phosphorylation of spinal
p38 mapk and subsequent increase in c-fos-immunoreactive dorsal lumbar neurons
mean?
WHAT ARE MAPK, ERK, P38 pathways? Cellular responses to many external
stimuli involve the activation of several types of MAPK (Mitogen-Activated
Protein Kinase) signaling pathways. MAPKs are a family of Serine/threonine
kinases that comprise 3 major subgroups, namely, ERK (Extracellular
signal–Regulated Kinase), p38 MAPK and JNK (c-Jun N-terminal Kinases).
An understanding of kinases is basic. Genetic and protein information on
pain and disease involves knowing that protein tyrosine kinase is an enzyme
that transfers po4 from ATP to protein in the cell. The released po4 attaches
to tyrosine to form tyrosine phosphate which then attaches to serine and
threonine and this regulates cell division. If irregular it will set abnormal
cell division – cancer
Pathways to transmit proteins through the cell wall from receptor to DNA,
RNA of nucleus of the cell. MAPK –ERK
pathway conducts the protein such as tyrosine kinase attached to serine and
threonine through the cell wall into the nucleus of the cell. The p38 pathway
routes chemicals through the cell wall into the nucleus of the cell. In this
paper, chondroitin sulfate is found to inhibit the p38 pathway to relieve
tactile allodynia.
This represents another potential benefit of chondroitin sulfate as an
anti-inflammatory pain control.
For further information, I am sharing the following paper on attenuating
the MAPK p38 pathway for neuropathy pain relief (Chen et al). Please know I am
not expert in such deep subject cellular pathways, but this is basic knowledge
for your consideration. JMC
The following is from this source: Chen NF, Chen
WF, Sung CS, Lu CH, Chen CL, Hung HC, Feng CW, Chen CH, Tsui KH , Kuo HM, Wang
HD, Wen ZH, Huang SY. Contributions of p38 and ERK to the antinociceptive
effects of TGF-β1 in chronic constriction injury-induced neuropathic rats. J
Headache Pain. 2016 Dec;17(1):72. Epub 2016 Aug 19.
HERE IS AN EXAMPLE OF
SUPPRESSION OF MAPK, ERK, P38 ARE ANTINOCICEPTIVE FOR CHRONIC CONSTRICTION OF A
NERVE BY TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR-B. TGF-Β1-INDUCED ANALGESIA DURING
NEUROPATHY. Transforming growth factor-βs (TGF-βs) are a group of
multifunctional proteins that have neuroprotective roles in various
experimental models. intrathecal (i.t.) injections of TGF-β1 significantly
inhibit neuropathy-induced thermal hyperalgesia, spinal microglia and astrocyte
activation, as well as upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-α. During persistent pain, activation of MAPKs,
especially p38 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), have crucial
roles in the induction and maintenance of pain hypersensitivity. TGF-β1
markedly inhibited phospho-p38 upregulation in neurons, microglial cells, and
astrocytes. However, i.t. injection of TGF-β1 also reduced phospho-ERK
upregulation in microglial cells and astrocytes.
CONCLUSIONS: The present
results demonstrate that suppressing p38 and ERK activity affects
TGF-β1-induced analgesia during neuropathy.
Again, for more information, check http://coxtrc.com/supplements/discatplus.html.
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