Osteoarthritis Pain Relief May Be Achieved Through Caterpillar Fungus

(Newswire.net — April 24, 2017) Orlando, FL — It is undeniable that osteoarthritis is widely prevalent around the world today, especially in the United States. While there are medications available, researchers continue to investigate certain treatments that could potentially help sufferers.

Osteoarthritis pain relief may be achieved through caterpillar fungus. This painful and debilitating condition affects over 27 million people in the United States alone. It doesn’t just subject sufferers to pain, but also reduce their overall quality of life.

The University of Nottingham scientists were trying to explore the potential of a compound called cordycepin to kill pain. This compound can be found in cordyceps mushrooms, which have been used in traditional Chinese medicine. It was the Arthritis Research UK that funded the study.

Dr. Cornelia de Moor and her research team obtained a three-year grant from the medical research charity to determine the role that cordycepin may play as a new type of drug.

The researcher team aimed at investigating whether the compound has the ability to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms. This compound is from a parasitic mushroom, which lives on caterpillars.

According to statistics, over eight million individuals in the United Kingdom suffer from osteoarthritis. The research team will try to see how effective the compound is by giving it as food pellets to mice and rats. The study would help them determine if cordycepin could aid in the prevention of pain after a joint injury and in the relief of existing pain.

According to Dr. de Moor, while their research study is still in its early stages, the team is thrilled with the possibility that cordycepin could potentially be a new type of pain killer.

Cordycepin is believed to have the ability to block inflammatory process, which cause osteoarthritis pain. It can also function differently as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Thus, it could be useful in certain aspects where these medications are ineffective.

Today, more and more osteoarthritis sufferers are turning to the use of natural remedies due to the side effects linked with the use of pharmaceutical drugs, such as NSAIDs. One of the side effects it could potentially cause is gastrointestinal bleeding.

The risk of side effects could also increase when these medications are used frequently or on a long-term basis. Thus, getting a natural remedy could be a safer alternative.

One of these safer natural remedies is glucosamine, which is believed to do cartilage damage repair. Glucosamine has long been believed to be a powerful joint health supplement (amazon.com/Glucosamine-Sulfate-Chondroitin-Supplement-Turmeric/dp/B00DUMO9X4).