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

Healthy male volunteers

Intervention

Single 4 g oral dose of shark-cartilage chondroitin sulfate

Limitations

Same design limits as the 2002 study: uncontrolled, healthy volunteers, no joint endpoint, group size absent from the abstract, 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.