A Pilot trial evaluating meta050, a proprietary combination of reduced iso-alpha acids, rosemary extract and oleanolic acid in patients with arthritis and fibromyalgia

The aim of this open‐label, 8‐week observational trial was to investigate the efficacy of Meta050 (a proprietary, standardized combination of reduced iso‐alpha‐acids from hops, rosemary extract and oleanolic acid) on pain in patients with rheumatic disease. Osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia patients were given 440 mg Meta050 three times a day for 4 weeks, which was changed to 880 mg twice a day for the subsequent 4 weeks in the majority of patients. Pain and condition‐specific symptoms were assessed using a standard visual analog scale (VAS), an abridged arthritis impact measurement scale (AIMS2) and the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire. Fifty‐four subjects with rheumatic disease completed the trial. Following treatment, a statistically significant decrease in pain of 50% and 40% was observed in arthritis subjects using the VAS (p < 0.0001; Wilcoxon‐ranked sums) and AIMS2 (p < 0.0001), respectively. Fibromyalgia subject scores did not significantly improve. A decreasing trend of C‐reactive protein, a marker for inflammation, was also observed in those subjects who presented with elevated C‐reactive protein. No serious side effects were observed. These observations suggest that Meta050 at a dosage of 440 mg three times a day has a beneficial effect on pain in arthritis subjects. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.