薬理と治療

Abstract

Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of β-cryptoxanthin-containing paprika oleoresin on the quality of life（QOL）of healthy subjects with mild knee pain. In addition, we evaluated the safety of β-cryptoxanthin-containing paprika oleoresin as our second aim. Methods This clinical study was conducted as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparison trial in healthy adult volunteers with mild knee pain. In total, 32 volunteers were randomly divided into two groups, ingesting either test capsules containing 20 mg of paprika oleoresin（paprika group）or placebo capsules（placebo group）for 12 consecutive weeks. In this study, QOL was evaluated using the Japanese Knee Osteoarthritis Measure（JKOM）at 0, 6, and 12 weeks after the first ingestion. Plasma interleukin-6（IL-6） levels, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels, and serum carotenoid levels were measured at 0 and 12 weeks. To evaluate the safety of β-cryptoxanthin-containing paprika oleoresin, we conducted hematological, blood chemical, and urine analyses. Results Visual analog scale and JKOM scores were significantly reduced in both groups after 6 and 12 weeks of ingestion, and no significant differences were seen between the two groups. However, general activities, which are subscales of JKOM, showed significantly lower scores in the paprika group than in the placebo group. Moreover, the plasma IL-6 levels were significantly decreased in the paprika group, and the serum β-cryptoxanthin levels were higher in the paprika group than in the placebo group after 12 weeks of ingestion. No adverse effects associated with paprika extract intake were observed during the safety evaluation.Conclusion These results suggest that β-cryptoxanthin-containing paprika oleoresin improves QOL related to joint health.