Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is one of six related substances called
glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), which are also referred to as mucopolysaccharides.
GAGs occur widely throughout the animal kingdom — in vertebrates and
invertebrates, terrestrial and marine organisms, and mammals and non-mammals.
Six kinds of GAGs have been found in the tissues and fluids of vertebrates:
chondroitin sulfates, keratin sulfates, dermatin sulfates, hyaluronic acid,
heparin, and heparin sulfate.
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CS is widely found in the connective tissues of animals. It occurs in three
slightly different forms: CSA, CSB, and CSC. CSA and CSC are found in nasal and
tracheal cartilage, articular cartilage (joints), bones, sclera, leukocytes and
blood platelets, skin, and umbilical cords. CSB has been found in skin,
umbilical cords, and cardiac valves.
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Adequate amounts of CS are vital for normal joint function and maintenance as
well as many other self-healing mechanisms. The following list of activities
have been proven in numerous scientific studies.
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1. Osteogenesis: CSA is an important participant
in bone calcification and CSC in bone integrity maintenance (Paroli, 1991;
Maurau, 1988).*
2. Analgesic and restorative effect: A very
important property of CS is its ability to stimulate the chondrocite (cell that
synthesizes the proteoglycans in the articular cartilage), which is conducive
to the proper maintenance of the cartilage matrix (Serni, 1991; Vacha, 1994).*
3. Enzymatic inhibition: The capacity of CS to
inhibit the action of destructive enzymes of the articular cartilage protects
joints and helps maintain harmonic balance of healthy enzyme activity. This in
turn helps avoid degradation of hyaluronic acid, a necessary molecule for the
maintenance of hydration and viscosity of synovial fluid (Avila, 1976; Marossy,
1981; Pipitone, 1991; Videla Dorna et al., 1994).*
4. Anti-inflammatory effect: (Paroli, 1991;
Pipitone, 1991; Rashmir-Raven, 1992).*
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