Pine Bark Naturally Reduces Osteoarthritis, Lowers Joint Pain, Improves Physical Function
More than 20 million Americans suffer from osteoarthritis, with half a million Americans having a total joint replacement each year. A new study to be published in the April 2008 edition (Volume 22, issue No 4) of the journal of Phytotherapy Research shows Pycnogenol (pic-noj-en-all), an antioxidant plant extract from the bark of the French maritime pine tree, was shown to reduce all osteoarthritis symptoms by 56 percent.

Amgen And Wyeth Announce Updates To U.S. Prescribing Information For Enbrel(R)
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) and Wyeth Pharmaceuticals, a division of Wyeth (NYSE: WYE), announced updates to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved U.S. Prescribing Information (PI) for Enbrel(R) (etanercept). The U.S. PI now contains a boxed warning relating to the risk of infections, including tuberculosis, which is similar to labeling for other medicines in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor class.

Cod Liver Oil Reduces Painkiller Use
“Two teaspoons of cod liver oil a day can cut the number of powerful painkillers needed to ease the pain of arthritis”, reports the Daily Mail. Patients who were given the supplements “were able to reduce their daily dose of anti-inflammatory drugs”, the newspaper says. These findings are important because the long-term use of anti-inflammatory drugs “can double the threat of heart attack and raise the risk of strokes and heart disease”, the Mail adds.