You may have read some stories about Celebrex causing joint pain in the media. We are not in a position where we want to take a standpoint in this matter, but we have seen an increasing interest in Supercissus RX, our joint pain relief supplement.
The plant Cissus Quadrangularis is one with a long history of use in many countries, including India. While it has been used to treat or relieve a wide array of ailments in the past, it has most recently been purported to help dramatically with joint pain. In fact, an astounding amount of anecdotal evidence supports this. In addition, there is scientific evidence supportive of analgesic effects from this plant (1).
While some may not be familiar with this plant, many will no doubt be familiar with drugs like Celebrex, a selective COX-2 inhibitor. Selective COX-2 inhibitors in particular have received media attention (several stories about Celebrex causing joint pain have appeared) because of their potential to increase the risk of adverse cardiovascular effects (2). This would not be a concern with Supercissus RX however, in fact, it may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by improving blood lipids and body weight or fat mass (3).
Other concerns with COX-2 inhibitors, despite their great ability to relieve pain and inflammation are their potential to inhibit the healing rate of bone fractures (4). This, without a doubt is yet another advantage of Supercissus RX as it has been shown in a number of studies to accelerate the healing of bone fractures (5).
Another issue to take a look at is the fact that despite the selective nature of COX-2 inhibitors and hence likely less risk than non-selective NSAIDs, there is still potential for adverse gastrointestinal effects, including ulceration (6). Yet again, Supercissus RX displays a clear advantage with clear evidence demonstrating gastroprotective effects, including a strong protective effect against ulceration (7).
Finally, considering the extremely prevalent use of SSRI's in the world (millions), it is of great interest that some have, anecdotally, noted potential joint pain while using SSRI's such as Celexa (8). Considering that, it would be ideal for someone to use Supercissus RX instead of the NSAID's previously mentioned, considering that it has been shown to lack the adverse effects associated with COX-2 inhibitor use.
References
1. Singh SP, Misra N, Dixit KS, Singh N, Kohli RP. An experimental study of analgesic activity of Cissus quadrangularis. Indian J Pharmacol 1984; 2 : 162-3.
2. Salinas G, Rangasetty UC, Uretsky BF, Birnbaum Y. The Cycloxygenase 2 (COX-2) Story: It's Time to Explain, Not Inflame. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Jun;12(2):98-111.
3. Oben JE, Enyegue DM, Fomekong GI, Soukontoua YB, Agbor GA. The effect of Cissus quadrangularis (CQR-300) and a Cissus formulation (CORE) on obesity and obesity-induced oxidative stress. Lipids Health Dis. 2007 Feb 4;6:4.
4. Simon AM, O'Connor JP. Dose and time-dependent effects of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition on fracture-healing. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 Mar;89(3):500-11.
5. Chopra SS, Patel MR, Awadhiya RP. Studies of Cissus quadrangularis in experimental fracture repair : a histopathological study. Indian J Med Res. 1976 Sep;64(9):1365-8.
6. Juni P, Rutjes AWS, Dieppe PA. Are selective COX 2 inhibitors superior to traditional non steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs? BMJ 2002; 324:1287-1288.
7. Jainu M, Vijai Mohan K, Shyamala Devi CS. Gastroprotective effect of Cissus quadrangularis extract in rats with experimentally induced ulcer. Indian J Med Res. 2006 Jun;123(6):799-806.
8. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/medmaster/a699001.html
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