Effects of oral administration of type II collagen on rheumatoid arthritis

Trentham DE, Dynesius-Trentham RA, Orav EJ, Combitchi D, Lorenzo C, Sewell KL, Hafler DA, Weiner HL · Science

The landmark that launched oral tolerance as a therapeutic idea. Swollen and tender joint counts fell in the collagen group but not on placebo, and four patients achieved complete remission, with no side effects. Published in Science with an accompanying editorial. Everything since has been an attempt to replicate it.

Population

Patients with severe, active rheumatoid arthritis

Intervention

Oral chicken type II collagen for 3 months

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Small (n=60) and three months. Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease; whether the mechanism transfers to osteoarthritis is a separate and unresolved question. The result did not survive replication — see pmid-8546737, pmid-9485087, pmid-10366113 and pmid-19951408.