Mushrooms could play a pivotal role in the treatment of arthritis, suggest scientists in Germany and Vietnam.  

A team of researchers led by Christian Hertweck at the Leibniz-institute for natural products research and infection biology, Jena, Germany, have identified a series of compounds in mushrooms that they say are capable of treating rheumatoid and gouty arthritis. 

Arthritis is a common chronic health problem, with rheumatoid arthritis affecting 1 in 50 people in the UK and gouty arthritis affecting 1 in 200.  Drugs currently on the market can cause infrequent, but severe side effects.

Enzymatic processes control the inflammation of joints and tissues in arthritis.  The researchers claim the compounds they have identified can block the enzymes that cause joints to become inflamed. 

Rheumatoid arthritis is generally treated using drugs that block the uptake of the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme by the body.  As the COX-2 enzyme triggers inflammation, blocking this enzyme stops the pain.  Gouty arthritis is caused by too much uric acid in the blood.  Blocking xanthine oxidase (XO), an enzyme involved in the formation of uric acid in the body, relieves the symptoms of this disease.

Hertweck and colleagues say the compounds they extracted from mushrooms show COX-2 and XO enzyme blocking activity similar to that of the leading drugs currently on the market.  

Nina Athey-Pollard