A chondroitin is a
chondrin derivative.
Types include:
*
Chondroitin sulfate
Chondroitin sulfate is a sulfated glycosaminoglycan (GAG) composed of a chain of alternating sugars (N-Acetylgalactosamine, N-acetylgalactosamine and glucuronic acid). It is usually found attached to proteins as part of a proteoglycan. A chondroit ...
*
Dermatan sulfate
Chondroitin as a supplement is now commonly used (often in combination with
glucosamine
Glucosamine (C6H13NO5) is an amino sugar and a prominent precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids. Glucosamine is part of the structure of two polysaccharides, chitosan and chitin. Glucosamine is one of the mo ...
) in treating the joint disease of
osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative joint disease that results from breakdown of articular cartilage, joint cartilage and underlying bone. A form of arthritis, it is believed to be the fourth leading cause of disability in the world, affect ...
.
In contrast to the symptomatic treatments, chondroitin can modify the progression of a disease process in the patient which it can be used as an alternative medicine.
Chondroitin's effect toward the articular cartilage integrity as it is part of the
proteoglycan
Proteoglycans are proteins that are heavily glycosylated. The basic proteoglycan unit consists of a "core protein" with one or more covalently attached glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chain(s). The point of attachment is a serine (Ser) residue to w ...
molecules.
The cartilage proteoglycan synthesis can speed up as chondroitin is going through the pathway of the alimentary canal.
Research has been conducted to show the effectiveness of chondroitin and results indicate that it helps to manage pain in knee and hip, slow down the progression and also recovery.
However, the effectiveness of the drugs is still doubtful.
References
{{Glycosaminoglycans
Glycosaminoglycans