Osteoarthritis (OA) is a growing problem in animals. Assisi is marketing technologies that have been demonstrated to provide pain relief in human OA of the knee1. There is existing evidence that PEMF therapies of several types may improve the progression of OA and underlying health of cartilage. Studies suggest that use of PEMF can slow the progression of OA in animals2 and have positive effects on cartilage cells directly3. Targeted signals modulate chondrocyte proliferation through a pathway which is mediated by nitric oxide4. This is the same pathway through which Assisi's technology decreases inflammation and enhances healing.5
1 Nelson, et al. 2009. ORS, submitted.
2 Ciombor D, McK Aaron RK, Wang S, Simon B. 2003. Modification of osteoarthritis by pulsed electromagnetic field-a morphological study. Osteoarthritis Cartilage. 11:455-62.
3Fini, M., Giavaresi, G., Carpi, A., Nicolini, A., Setti, S. and Giardino, R. 2005. Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields on articular hyaline cartilage: review of experimental and clinical studies
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy 59:388-394.4
4Fitzsimmons RJ, Gordon SL, Kronberg J, Ganey T, Pilla AA. 2008. A pulsing electric field (PEF) increases human chondrocyte proliferation through a transduction pathway involving nitric oxide signaling. J Orthop Res. 26:854-9
5Strauch B, Herman C, Dabb R, Ignarro LJ, Pilla AAv.2009. Evidence-based use of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy in clinical plastic surgery. Aesthet Surgery Journal.29:135-43.
The use of a standard PEMF technology (not Assisi), produced the significant preservation of cartilage (in pink) in a model that treated animals one-hour a day. Treated animals had a third less progression of OA1.
