A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Rhode Island indicated that extracts from Red Raspberry (Extract) (RRE) may protect cartilage in joints and influence the severity of arthritis. The Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus) fruit contains bioactive polyphenols including anthocyanins and ellagitannins with reported anti-inflammatory properties. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, arthritis is the leading cause of disability in the United States, affecting some twenty-one million adults, and the number is predicted to rise to sixty seven million adults by the year 2030. Using animal models, the scientists investigated the effects of the Red Raspberry Extract on the development of arthritis following an injection to induce the joint disease. Results from these tests showed that doses of the extracts were associated with a “lower incidence and severity of arthritis, compared to control animals. The study findings, demonstrated that a polyphenol-enriched Raspberry extract was associated with a decrease in the rate of cartilage degradation in a cell study, while data from rats indicated a lower incidence and severity of arthritis. Commenting on the potential mechanism, the scientists proposed that the polyphenols in the extract exert anti-inflammatory effects, and the study provides insights into the fruit’s anti-inflammatory effects, adding to the growing body of biological data on polyphenolic-enriched berry extracts. However, future human clinical studies will be required to establish whether regular consumption of Red Raspberry fruit may have beneficial effects on joint health, and the new study, if reproducible in additional studies - and human studies in particular - could also see Red Raspberry extracts added to the list of potential natural products for joint health. Writing in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the scientists concluded, “At the higher dose, animals treated with RRE had a lower incidence and severity of arthritis compared to control animals. Also, histological analyses revealed significant inhibition of inflammation, pannus formation, cartilage damage and bone resorption”…and... “suggests that Red Raspberry polyphenols may afford cartilage protection and/or modulate the onset and severity of arthritis.”
Sources: Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry and NutraIngredients
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