SKI306X for arthritis

Hi,
  I just read a review of supplements for arthritis (Ameye 2006).
"Osteoarthritis and nutrition.  From nutraceuticals to functional
foods: a systematic review of the scientific evidence."
They were highly critical of supplements due to the meager
number of good clinical trials.  One that seems to have a
moderate amount of evidence is SKI306X.  
It consists of Clematis mandsburica, Tricbosantbes kirilowii,
and Prunella vulgaris.
Any comments?
regards,
gordon

[txsilver]

SKI306X is an herbal supplement.  It is purported to have antiinflammatory properties.  All herbal remedies should be reviewed by your doctor to insure there will not be any negative interactions or amplification of effects before you start taking them.

[Marin600]

Follow the money.  Track down who paid for the study.  If it came from a university or private lab, where'd they get their dough-re-mi?  Big pharma hates the competition from the unprofitable supplement field, and tries to discredit everything.  In one big Vit C denouncement, the C used wasn't the same type, was something like 50-100 mg, and wasn't used in the same manner as the proper C in much larger dosage.  Of course, they weren't going to get good results.  They set it up to fail.  A fair trial of C wasn't their goal.  Notice that some such reports give a lofty sounding name, complete with superlative adjectives.  For ex: (I'm making this up, but you get the idea)  "the world renowned, prestigious medical journal, Phooilyaahlot, just announced that..."  Twice, my library hasn't been able to locate any trace of so-called prestigious medical journals.  A clinical trial is as good as the integrity of those who thought it up, those who set up the parameters, the quality of the ingredients used, the combination of existing conditions and other supplements, or foods consumed, the integrity of the data collecting and conclusions drawn, and the integrity of the people associated with reporting the results. There is a risk, yes, in taking any supplement, just as there is in consuming food, water, and air.  You must use some common sense, but if it worked for others, and you learn of no known problems, esp in the case of remedies used for hundreds and thousands of years, who really cares what some disingenuous suits say?  Sorry, such reports, harmful in themselves in that they deter patients from something that might work, really get me on a soapbox!  How can anyone remotely connected to the field of health be able to sleep at night when their actions or words hinder possible solutions to people who are ill without answers.  Did they descend from Josef Mengele?  Are his goals theirs?  A holistic dr or naturopath is much better prepared than your typical allopathic md to assess the potential harm or benefit of any one supplement, but I do agree with txsilver that you'd be safest by running it by either of the former.

[sdbrit]

I love Marin600's comments on this thread and others.  When you really look at the real info. and science nature has so much to offer that is far less stress on the body and not harmful than most meds.  One good site I like for general holistic info. is mercola (mercola *******).  This guy has so much research and a huge base of info. (He is in the biz of selling products too, but the info is free)  While dealing with my arthritis I really messed up my gut with NSAIDS.  Now using Wobenzyme as an anti-inflammatory (along with other supplements - see my other comments on other threads) and having more success than with anything I tried before.