A herbal remedy, Hyben Vital (stand. powder of a subspecies of Rosa canina fruits), reduces pain and improves general wellbeing in patients with osteoarthritis: a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised trial

Abstract

The double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study reported here examined the effect of Hyben Vital, a herbal remedy made from a subtype of Rosa canina, on the symptoms of osteoarthritis. One hundred and twelve patients with osteoarthritis were randomly allocated to treatment with either Hyben Vital 5 g daily or an identical placebo for 3 months, followed immediately by the alternative treatment. Group A (placebo first) showed significantly more improvement from Hyben Vital than from placebo, p < 0.0078 for pain and < 0.0025 for stiffness. When patients were divided into responders and non-responders, the first 3 months of active treatment showed a response rate of 31/47 (66%) compared to that of placebo 18/50 (36%), p < 0.0185. No major side effects occurred in either group.