Limbrel: Medical Food for OA Pain
A pill classified as a “medical food” holds promise for pain relief for osteoarthritis (OA).
By Kenna Simmons
Flavocoxid (Limbrel) is a blend of plant-based flavonoids found in foods such as soy, cauliflower, kale, peanuts and green tea. Flavonoids are chemicals that give plants their color, and they may have health benefits when consumed.
The flavonoids in Limbrel, for example, inhibit both COX and 5-LOX enzymes, which are involved in the pain and inflammation of OA. And Limbrel does so “without the side effects seen with NSAIDS and COX-2 inhibitors,” says Bruce P. Bennett, PhD, director of medical education and scientific affairs for Scotsdale, Ariz.-based Primus Pharmaceuticals, markerter of Limbrel.
And that, says David McLain, MD, chief of rheumatology at Brookwood Medical Center in Birmingham, Ala., should make Limbrel a safer alternative.
You can’t get enough of the flavonoids in Limbrel through diet alone – Limbrel provides a more concentrated “dose” – which is why it’s classified as a medical food.
Medical foods are prescribed by doctors for the management of a specific disease and are available only by prescription. They are regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Adminsiatrtion (FDA), but don’t have to go through the same testing and approval process as drugs. Other examples of medical foods include prenatal vitamins, parenteral (intravenous) nutrition and foods for people with a condition called phenylketonuria, who can’t metabolize a specific amino acid.
Not everyone responds to Limbrel, says Dr. McLain, and reports about its effectiveness vary. As for side effects, “We’ve seen a few people with stomach upset,’ he notes. The biggest drawback is that insurance coverage is still spotty. “When there is more data, then insurance coverage should improve,” Dr. McLain adds.
If you have trouble taking NSAIDs or want to try an alternative therapy, ask your doctor if Limbrel might be right for you.
