Oral absorption and bioavailability of ichthyic origin chondroitin sulfate in healthy male volunteers

Volpi N · Osteoarthritis and Cartilage

Source changes the kinetics substantially. Shark-derived chondroitin sulfate raised plasma levels more than 120%, to a Cmax of 4.87 plus or minus 2.05 ug/mL, but took 8.7 plus or minus 4.5 hours to peak against 2 hours for the bovine preparation, and the circulating disaccharide composition was altered. 'Chondroitin sulfate' is not one pharmacokinetic entity.

Population

The same 20 healthy male volunteers as the 2002 bovine study (pmid-12359162), stated as such in this paper's methods

Intervention

Single 4 g oral dose of shark-cartilage chondroitin sulfate

Limitations

Same design limits as the 2002 study: uncontrolled, 20 healthy volunteers, no joint endpoint, and a 4 g dose above the trial range. The wide Tmax standard deviation (4.5 h on a mean of 8.7) indicates substantial between-person variation. It is also the same 20 people, which the paper states plainly, so the bovine and ichthyic results are two doses given to one cohort rather than two independent studies.