Abstract
BACKGROUND: Creatine kinase-muscle (CK-MM) and aldolase A (AldoA) levels are proven to be realistic biochemical markers to detect muscular dystrophy during osteoarthritic disorders (MD-OADs). The aim of this study is to normalize the MD-OADs characterized by muscle weakness, atrophy, inflammatory disorders, pain with chronic arthropathy by specialized topical phytotherapeutic treatment. METHODS: Baseline data were collected and evaluated from 153 patients, aged 59.89±11.37years, and suffering with MD-OADs for 7.89±1.90 years. Serum CK-MM and aldoA levels were measured at baseline and after a six- week treatment using the appropriate kits. All patients underwent standardized physical, radiographic examinations and completed a questionnaire. All the patients were treated with topical application of phytoconstituents from the extracts of seven Indian medicinal plants namely Cissus quadrangularis, Calotropis gigantea, Zingiber officinalis, Rosemarinus officinale, Boswellia serratia, Curcuma longa and Withata somnifera mixed with sesame oil and beehives wax for six-week. RESULTS: The elevated levels of biomarkers, CK-MM and aldoA, were reduced to their mean±SEM values 82.77±1.32 and 4.94±1.30U/L, respectively at the end of six-week treatment and the improvements of deranged anatomical features, Pearson's correlation coefficients, international-approved pain related abnormalities (VAS, WOMAC, KPS and KOOS) and reduction of weight at the end of treatment were all highly significant (p<0.0001). CONCLUSION: It is firmly confirmed that MD-OADs resulted with the elevated levels of CK-MM, and AldoA, along with deranged anatomical features (KGB, DTM, DCM, DAP, DBP, SLR, KFS and KES) and pain related parameters (VAS, WOMAC-index, KPS, KOOS and BMI) can be successfully normalized by topical phytotherapeutic treatment protocol.