Compositions containing curcuma and collagen type ii-containing cartilage powder and their use in joint maintenance

Abstract

The application provides a composition containing curcuma and type II collagen-containing cartilage powder and application thereof in joint maintenance, and relates to the field of food technology. The application provides a composition containing milk mineral salt, curcuma, type II collagen-containing cartilage powder, enzymatic bone powder, N-acetyl glucosamine and black pepper extract, which can significantly repair joint damage, significantly reduce cartilage damage indexes such as CTX-II and COMP, and can be used for preparing a joint maintenance medicine.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of food technology, specifically relating to a composition containing turmeric and type II collagen cartilage powder and its application in joint care. Background Technology

[0002] As a core component of the human musculoskeletal system, joints consist of articular surfaces, joint cavities, joint capsules, and surrounding soft tissues. They bear the vital functions of supporting body weight, transmitting exercise load, and enabling flexible limb movement. Their health directly determines a person's athletic ability and quality of life. Current research indicates that joint injuries are a broad range of pathological conditions, mainly classified into five categories: acute traumatic injuries, chronic degenerative injuries, cumulative sports injuries, infectious injuries, and metabolic and developmental injuries. Specific types include intra-articular fractures, ligament tears, meniscus injuries, osteoarthritis, microcartilage injuries, tendinitis, and gouty arthritis. Acute trauma is often caused by sudden factors such as external impact or torsion, while chronic injuries are mostly due to long-term effects such as aging, chronic strain, improper exercise, or metabolic abnormalities. Furthermore, the risk of injury varies significantly among different populations. The avascular nature of cartilage in joint structures results in extremely poor self-repair capabilities. Once damaged, it is difficult to recover naturally. If minor injuries are not intervened in time, they will gradually progress to serious joint dysfunction, which not only affects limb movement but may also cause complications such as persistent pain and joint deformities. Therefore, joint maintenance is an indispensable and important means of preventing joint damage, delaying joint degeneration, and ensuring the stability of joint function. It has become a key focus of existing technologies.

[0003] While the importance of joint maintenance is widely recognized in current technologies, most existing maintenance programs focus on individuals with existing injury symptoms, neglecting preventative maintenance for athletes and healthy individuals. This results in both groups having a persistently high risk of joint injury. Athletes, due to their long-term involvement in sports such as running, basketball, and marathons, will experience a significantly shorter athletic career and increased long-term joint degeneration risk if they lack scientific preventative maintenance. Healthy individuals, although currently asymptomatic, experience a significantly accelerated degeneration process with age. Furthermore, potential joint developmental abnormalities and metabolic issues present in healthy individuals can easily develop into overt joint injuries if not addressed through scientific maintenance. Therefore, developing scientific and efficient preventative joint maintenance programs tailored to the physiological characteristics and joint injury risks of athletes and healthy individuals is urgently necessary and technologically valuable. This would fill the gap in existing preventative maintenance technologies, meet the joint maintenance needs of both groups, reduce the incidence of joint injuries, and delay joint degeneration.

[0004] Currently, conventional medications for treating joint injury-related diseases typically include calcium supplements and vitamins, estrogen-like drugs, bisphosphonates, and parathyroid hormone analogs. Each of these drugs has a relatively limited effect, and multiple drugs are often used in combination or with increased dosages to improve treatment efficacy. This increases treatment costs and makes it difficult for the various components of the drugs to be fully absorbed by the bones, thus compromising treatment effectiveness. Furthermore, the complex composition of these drugs necessitates the development of more effective combinations for preventing and treating osteoporosis.

[0005] Chinese patent CN109106944A discloses a composition for the prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis and its application. The composition contains non-denatured type II collagen and chondroitin peptides, and the weight ratio of the non-denatured type II collagen to the chondroitin peptides is preferably 1:1.5-6. The composition also contains one or more of licorice extract, houttuynia cordata extract, turmeric, and vitamin C. The composition is complex, and its efficacy needs further improvement.

[0006] Chinese patent CN116726141B discloses a composition for preventing and alleviating osteoarthritis and its application, made from the following raw materials in parts by weight: vitamin C 0.5-2 parts, glucosamine derivative 25-37 parts, manganese gluconate 0.3-0.6 parts, dimethyl sulfone 15-30 parts, boron-containing compound 1-1.2 parts, chondroitin sulfate 4.4-10 parts, tartrazine 4-8 parts, collagen peptide powder 4.4-8 parts, frankincense extract 0.5-5 parts, turmeric extract 1-3 parts, and sodium hyaluronate 0.04-0.15 parts. The dimethyl sulfone contained in this composition has carcinogenic, teratogenic, sensitizing, and irritating effects. Long-term use may lead to an imbalance of trace elements in the body, endocrine disorders, and liver and kidney damage. Therefore, its safety needs further improvement.

[0007] Chinese patent CN113854574B discloses a novel compound bone peptide, the raw materials of which include: bovine bone polypeptide, type II collagen peptide, casein phosphopeptide, whey protein, soy protein isolate, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, maltodextrin, vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, fructooligosaccharides, elderberry juice powder, turmeric, black pepper extract, flavoring, xanthan gum, and sucralose; the composition of this compound is complex and has poor absorption.

[0008] Chinese patent CN119318691A discloses a composition for improving bone and joint health, comprising the following components: 0.5-5 parts collagen peptides, 5-30 parts mangosteen extract, 0.5-3 parts non-denatured type II collagen peptides, 0.1-2 parts milk mineral salts, 0.3-3 parts bone collagen peptides, 0.1-2 parts cartilage extract, 0.1-2 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 0.1-2 parts sodium hyaluronate, and 0.3-3 parts turmeric extract. This composition is complex and has a high cost. Summary of the Invention

[0009] This invention addresses the problems existing in the prior art by providing a composition for joint care, comprising milk mineral salts, N-acetylglucosamine, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, cartilage powder containing type II collagen, turmeric, and black pepper extract. This composition can significantly repair joint damage and significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6, as well as cartilage damage markers CTX-II and COMP. It can be used to prepare drugs for joint care.

[0010] Research has found that the mechanisms for improving joint damage are twofold: firstly, significantly reducing the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-α and IL-6) in the body, because inflammatory factors activate osteoclasts and chondrodegrading enzymes, accelerating bone loss and cartilage wear; reducing this inflammatory bone damage can alleviate joint damage at its root; secondly, reducing cartilage degradation, and the core of reflecting the degree of cartilage degradation in the body is to detect specific biomarkers of cartilage degradation, among which important biomarkers are CTX-II and COMP.

[0011] In this invention, CTX-II (C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen) is a specific peptide released during the degradation of type II collagen fibers. It is mainly produced by the hydrolysis of type II collagen in the cartilage matrix by matrix metalloproteinases and other substances and released into body fluids. It can be stably detected in serum, plasma and urine. Among them, urine samples are widely used in clinical and animal experiments because they are non-invasive and have higher cartilage specificity. It is a core specific biomarker reflecting the rate of cartilage degradation and the degree of articular cartilage damage in vivo. It is often used to evaluate the degree of arthritis, cartilage damage and the intervention effect of cartilage protective substances.

[0012] In this invention, COMP (cartilage oligomeric matrix protein) is a cartilage oligomeric matrix protein that is mainly found in cartilage connective tissues such as articular cartilage, synovium, and tendons. It is an important non-collagenous component of the cartilage matrix. When cartilage is damaged, degraded, or structurally destroyed, COMP is released into the peripheral blood. Therefore, the concentration of COMP in the blood can be used as an important indicator to reflect cartilage damage and matrix degradation. Its elevated level is closely related to the degree of cartilage damage and can be used for the diagnosis of joint diseases, disease monitoring, and in vivo efficacy evaluation of cartilage protective drugs or functional components.

[0013] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution adopted by the present invention is as follows: On one hand, the present invention provides a composition for joint care, the composition comprising milk mineral salts, turmeric, cartilage powder containing type II collagen, N-acetylglucosamine, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and black pepper extract.

[0014] Milk mineral salts, as the core calcium supplement in this composition, play a fundamental role in bone and joint health. One of the core issues in bone and joint damage is bone loss and decreased bone density, and calcium is the main inorganic component of bone, accounting for approximately 65% ​​of bone dry weight. Milk mineral salts, derived from milk, are not only rich in calcium but also in phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and other minerals. These minerals work synergistically with calcium to be more efficiently absorbed and utilized by the body, effectively increasing bone mineral deposition and improving bone density. Compared to ordinary calcium sources, milk mineral salts have higher bioavailability and are less irritating to the gastrointestinal tract, making them suitable for long-term use to maintain bone health, provide a solid material foundation for bones, and slow down the rate of bone loss.

[0015] N-acetylglucosamine is a key precursor in the synthesis of proteoglycans in cartilage and bone matrix. Proteoglycans are essential components of bone organic matter, providing elasticity and toughness, maintaining the integrity of bone tissue structure, promoting osteoblast activity, and regulating bone metabolism. When the body lacks N-acetylglucosamine, bone matrix synthesis is hindered, bone structural stability decreases, and joint damage is exacerbated. Supplementing with N-acetylglucosamine can directly provide raw materials for the synthesis of bone organic matter, promote the repair and regeneration of damaged bone tissue, enhance the bone's resistance to damage, and reduce the damage to bone cells caused by inflammatory factors by regulating the inflammatory response.

[0016] Enzymatically hydrolyzed bone meal is a natural source of complete bone nutrition. It is produced by processing animal bones using enzymatic hydrolysis technology. This process not only preserves minerals such as calcium and phosphorus from the bones but also enriches it with various bioactive substances, including collagen, bone morphogenetic proteins, and growth factors. Collagen, as the main component of bone organic matter, tightly binds calcium and phosphorus, enhancing overall bone strength. Bone morphogenetic proteins specifically induce osteoblast differentiation and proliferation, promoting new bone formation and accelerating bone tissue repair. Multiple growth factors regulate the bone metabolic microenvironment, inhibiting excessive osteoclast activity and reducing bone resorption. The enzymatic hydrolysis process also breaks down large molecules in the bone meal into smaller fragments, making them easier for the body to digest and absorb, ensuring that nutrients quickly reach bone tissue and effectively improve bone density and quality.

[0017] Type II collagen cartilage powder is derived from avian cartilage, retaining its natural triple helix structure and bioactivity. After oral administration, it can be recognized by the human immune system, regulate immune response, reduce the attack of immune cells on articular cartilage, relieve joint inflammation, and protect the integrity of articular cartilage.

[0018] Turmeric is the dried rhizome of a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the genus Curcuma in the family Zingiberaceae. After harvesting and processing, it can be used as a raw material. It mainly contains active ingredients such as curcumin and demethoxycurcumin. Among them, curcumin has the highest content and is the core substance that exerts its pharmacological effects, possessing anti-inflammatory and bone metabolism regulating effects.

[0019] The core active ingredient in black pepper extract is piperine, which can enhance the bioavailability of other components, such as promoting the absorption of minerals like calcium and phosphorus in the intestines, and making the minerals in milk mineral salts and enzymatically hydrolyzed bone meal more efficiently utilized by the bones.

[0020] Preferably, the composition comprises, by weight, 40-60 parts of milk mineral salt, 18-25 parts of turmeric, 9-16 parts of cartilage powder containing type II collagen, 5-10 parts of N-acetylglucosamine, 3-6 parts of enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 0.5-1.5 parts of black pepper extract.

[0021] In some specific embodiments, the composition comprises, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 20 parts turmeric, 12 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.0 part black pepper extract.

[0022] In some specific embodiments, the composition comprises, by weight, 40 parts milk mineral salt, 25 parts turmeric, 16 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 10 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 3 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 0.5 parts black pepper extract.

[0023] In some specific embodiments, the composition comprises, by weight, 60 parts milk mineral salt, 18 parts turmeric, 9 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 5 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 6 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.5 parts black pepper extract.

[0024] On the other hand, the present invention provides products comprising the above-described composition.

[0025] Preferably, the product is a pharmaceutical product, and the pharmaceutical product further includes pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

[0026] In this document, the term "excipient" refers to a carrier that is pharmacologically and / or physiologically compatible with the subject and the active ingredient, and is well known in the art (see, for example, Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences. Edited by Gennaro AR, 19th ed. Pennsylvania: Mack Publishing Company, 1995). It includes liquid or solid fillers, diluents, excipients, solvents, media, encapsulating materials, manufacturing aids, or solvent encapsulating materials that are involved in maintaining the stability, solubility, or activity of the compositions disclosed herein, but are not critical substances for the composition to exert its activity. These include, but are not limited to: pH adjusters, surfactants, adjuvants, ionic strength enhancers, diluents, agents for maintaining osmotic pressure, agents for delaying absorption, and preservatives. For example, pH adjusters include, but are not limited to, phosphate buffers. Surfactants include, but are not limited to, cationic, anionic, or nonionic surfactants, such as Tween-80. Ionic strength enhancers include, but are not limited to, sodium chloride. Preservatives include, but are not limited to, various antibacterial and antifungal agents, such as parabens, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid, etc. Agents for maintaining osmotic pressure include, but are not limited to, sugars, NaCl, and their analogues. Agents for delaying absorption include, but are not limited to, monostearate and gelatin. Diluents include, but are not limited to, water, aqueous buffers (such as buffered saline), alcohols, and polyols (such as glycerol). Preservatives include, but are not limited to, various antibacterial and antifungal agents, such as thimerosal, 2-phenoxyethanol, p-hydroxybenzoate, chlorobutanol, phenol, sorbic acid, etc. Stabilizers have the meaning commonly understood by those skilled in the art, which stabilize the desired activity of the active ingredient in a pharmaceutical product, including, but not limited to, monosodium glutamate, gelatin, SPGA, sugars (such as sorbitol, mannitol, starch, sucrose, lactose, dextran, or glucose), amino acids (such as glutamic acid, glycine), proteins (such as dried whey, albumin, or casein) or their degradation products (such as lactalbumin hydrolysate), etc.

[0027] Preferably, the drug is selected from capsules, tablets, ointments, powders, or pills.

[0028] Suitable excipients for preparing the above dosage forms include, but are not limited to, stearic acid, stearyl alcohol, talc, micronized silica (fumed silica), polyethylene glycol (such as PEG4000, PEG6000), sodium dodecyl sulfate, hydrogenated vegetable oil, sucrose fatty acid esters, and magnesium stearate.

[0029] In some specific embodiments, the drug is a tablet, and the excipient used to make the tablet is magnesium stearate.

[0030] On the other hand, the present invention provides the use of the above-described composition or product in the preparation of joint care products.

[0031] Specifically, the product in question is a pharmaceutical product.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has at least the following beneficial effects: The composition for joint care provided by this invention includes milk mineral salts, turmeric, type II collagen-containing chondroitin powder, N-acetylglucosamine, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and black pepper extract. This composition has a simple composition, can significantly repair joint damage, and significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6, as well as the levels of cartilage damage indicators CTX-II and COMP. Furthermore, the type II collagen-containing chondroitin powder, turmeric, and black pepper extract in the composition have a synergistic effect and can be used to prepare products for joint care. Detailed Implementation

[0033] Unless otherwise specified, all raw materials and reagents used in this invention were purchased from commercial suppliers, and experiments were conducted in accordance with the operating instructions. Unless otherwise specified, all instruments, equipment, and apparatus used in this invention are conventional instruments, equipment, and apparatus, and experiments were conducted in accordance with the operating instructions and the accompanying reagents.

[0034] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to embodiments. Unless otherwise specified in the embodiments, conditions are performed under conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer. All reagents or instruments without specified manufacturers are commercially available conventional products. Numerous specific details are provided in the following detailed embodiments to better illustrate the invention. The specific embodiments described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to constitute any limitation on the invention.

[0035] Data analysis and statistical analysis were performed using professional data processing software. One-way ANOVA was used for significance analysis, and P<0.05 was considered to indicate a significant difference.

[0036] Key material specifications involved in this invention: Milk mineral salts: purchased from Hunan Guangyi Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0037] Enzymatically hydrolyzed bone meal: purchased from Shaanxi Hana Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0038] Type II collagen cartilage powder: purchased from Hubei Hege Composite Bone Collagen Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0039] Black pepper extract: purchased from Sabinsa (Nanjing) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0040] Turmeric: Purchased from Sabinsa (Nanjing) Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0041] Bone collagen peptides: purchased from Shaanxi Chenming Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0042] Mangosteen extract: purchased from Jiangsu Caiwei Biotechnology Co., Ltd.

[0043] Example 1: Preparation of the composition A composition comprising, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 20 parts turmeric, 12 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.0 part black pepper extract.

[0044] Weigh out milk mineral salts, N-acetylglucosamine, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, cartilage powder containing type II collagen, turmeric and black pepper extracts, and pulverize, dry and granulate them according to conventional methods in the art. Then add excipients (1.5 parts magnesium stearate) and mix well. Finally, compress the mixture into tablets using a tablet press, with each tablet weighing 0.5g.

[0045] Example 2: Preparation of the composition A composition comprising, by weight, 40 parts milk mineral salt, 25 parts turmeric, 16 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 10 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 3 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 0.5 parts black pepper extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0046] Example 3: Preparation of the composition A composition comprising, by weight, 60 parts milk mineral salt, 18 parts turmeric, 9 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 5 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 6 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.5 parts black pepper extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0047] Comparative Example 1: Preparation of the Composition A composition comprising, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 20 parts turmeric, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone meal and 1.0 part black pepper extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0048] Comparative Example 2: Preparation of the Composition A composition comprising, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 12 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.0 part black pepper extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0049] Comparative Example 3: Preparation of the Composition A composition comprising, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 20 parts turmeric, 12 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, and 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0050] Comparative Example 4: Preparation of the Composition The procedure was carried out according to Example 1, except that the type II collagen chondroitin powder was replaced with an equal amount of bone collagen peptides; the subsequent tablet preparation method was the same as in Example 1.

[0051] Comparative Example 5: Preparation of the Composition The procedure was carried out according to Example 1, except that the black pepper extract was replaced with an equal amount of mangosteen extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method was the same as in Example 1.

[0052] Comparative Example 6: Preparation of the Composition A composition comprising, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 40 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, 4 parts cartilage powder containing type II collagen, 30 parts turmeric, and 1 part black pepper extract; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0053] Comparative Example 7: Preparation of the Composition A composition comprising, by weight, 10 parts curcumin, 1 part black pepper extract, 16 parts non-denatured type II collagen, 24 parts hydrolyzed type II collagen, 0.5 parts vitamin B1, 0.3 parts vitamin B2 and 0.0025 parts vitamin D; the subsequent tablet preparation method is the same as in Example 1.

[0054] Example 1: Acute toxicity test (MTD method) Experimental Procedure: C57BL / 6 mice (6 weeks old, weighing 18-22g) were purchased from Shulaibao (Wuhan) Biotechnology Co., Ltd., with half males and half females. They were divided into 12 groups (including a blank control group, 3 groups corresponding to the examples, 7 groups corresponding to the comparative examples, and a positive control group), with 6 mice in each group. The use of experimental animals was carried out in accordance with the regulations for the use of experimental animals. Animals were kept under a 12h / 12h light-dark cycle, with a temperature of 23±1℃ and a humidity of 50±10%. They were allowed free access to food and water. All test mice were fasted overnight for 16 hours before the experiment, but water was not restricted.

[0055] In the experiment, tablets prepared in Examples 1-3, Comparative Examples 1-7, and the positive control group were ground into uniform powders. Mice were administered 100 mg / kg via gavage once every 6 hours for a total of 3 times. The blank control group was administered deionized water via gavage. The test substance was administered orally for 2 weeks, and the mice were observed for 2 weeks after the administration ended, recording the symptoms of poisoning and mortality. The tablets used in the positive control group were commercial tablets for joint care produced by a certain company, with the main components being N-acetylglucosamine and chondroitin sulfate.

[0056] Experimental results: No deaths or abnormalities occurred in mice within 2 weeks of administration and routine feeding, thus proving that the tablets prepared in the examples or comparative examples, as well as the commercial tablets of the positive control group, have no toxic side effects and can be used safely.

[0057] Example 2: The effect of the composition on improving joint damage (1) Experimental grouping: Male 5-6 week old SD rats, weighing 180-220g, were purchased from Shulaibao (Wuhan) Biotechnology Co., Ltd. They were kept in an SPF-grade animal room with controlled ambient temperature of 23-26℃ and relative humidity of 40%-60%, and a 12h light / 12h dark circadian rhythm. They were allowed free access to sterilized feed and sterile drinking water. After 7 days of acclimatization, 130 rats were taken and randomly divided into negative control group, model control group, positive control group, Examples 1-3 and Comparative Examples 1-7, with 10 rats in each group.

[0058] (2) Modeling: Intra-articular injection of type II collagen combined with treadmill exercise.

[0059] Reagent injection: Using a Hamilton syringe, 200 μL of collagen + CFA emulsion was injected intradermally into the right hind paw and subcutaneously into the tail base of rats. 100 μL was injected intradermally into the right hind paw, and multiple intradermal injections were performed at the tail base to induce inflammation, with the tail base injection volume also being 100 μL. The negative control group rats were injected with an equal volume of physiological saline.

[0060] Treadmill exercise: 24 hours after injection, each group underwent treadmill exercise once daily. The treadmill incline was 0°C, the speed was 20 m / min, and exercise was continued until exhaustion for 4 weeks. The criterion for exhaustion was: the rat's running posture changed from a push-off to a prone position, and it remained at the end of the track unable to continue running.

[0061] (3) Administration: After the start of treadmill exercise, the negative control group and the model control group were administered 100 mg / kg of deionized water by gavage. Examples 1-3, comparative examples 1-7 and the positive control group were administered the corresponding tablets (ground into uniform powder) by gavage. The dosage was 100 mg / kg, once a day, for 4 consecutive weeks. The tablets used in the positive control group were the commercial tablets in effect example 1.

[0062] (4) Detection indicators ① Joint swelling measurement: Before injection, the ankle joint diameter of each group of rats was measured twice using electronic vernier calipers, and the average value was taken as the baseline value. 24 hours after injection, before treadmill exercise, and 5 weeks after exercise and drug administration, the ankle joint diameter of each group of rats was measured, and the relative joint swelling was calculated. The results are shown in Table 1. Joint swelling = (measured diameter - baseline value) / baseline value × 100%.

[0063] ②ELISA detection of inflammatory factors: Blood samples were collected from rats in each group 24 hours after injection and before treadmill exercise, and 4 weeks after exercise and drug administration. The levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6, as well as cartilage damage markers CTX-II and COMP, in serum were detected using reagent kits. The results are shown in Tables 2 and 3. The TNF-α detection kit was purchased from Yisheng Biotechnology (catalog number 98029ES); the IL-6 detection kit was purchased from Yisheng Biotechnology (catalog number 98027ES); the CTX-II detection kit was purchased from Guangzhou Aorida Biotechnology (catalog number ARD10811); and the COMP detection kit was purchased from Guangzhou Aorida Biotechnology (catalog number ARD11647).

[0064] Table 1. Results of joint swelling measurement (%)

[0065] Note: * indicates that there is no significant difference between data in the same column (P>0.05); for data in the same column, the same letter indicates that there is no significant difference between data (P>0.05), and different letters indicate that there is a significant difference between data (P<0.05).

[0066] Table 2. Detection results of inflammatory factors TNF-α and IL-6

[0067] Note: * indicates that there is no significant difference between data in the same column (P>0.05); for data in the same column, the same letter indicates that there is no significant difference between data (P>0.05), and different letters indicate that there is a significant difference between data (P<0.05).

[0068] Table 3. Results of CTX-II and COMP content detection

[0069] Note: * indicates that there is no significant difference between data in the same column (P>0.05); for data in the same column, the same letter indicates that there is no significant difference between data (P>0.05), and different letters indicate that there is a significant difference between data (P<0.05).

[0070] Analysis revealed that Comparative Example 1, based on Example 1, had its weight proportions of type II collagen chondroitin powder evenly distributed among turmeric and black pepper extracts; Comparative Example 2, based on Example 1, had its weight proportions of turmeric evenly distributed among type II collagen chondroitin powder and black pepper extracts; and Comparative Example 3, based on Example 1, had its weight proportions of black pepper extract evenly distributed among type II collagen chondroitin powder and turmeric. Thus, Comparative Examples 1-3, compared to Example 1, only lacked one component while maintaining the same total weight proportions. However, Example 1, compared to Comparative Examples 1-3, showed a significantly improved effect in reducing joint swelling, lowering pro-inflammatory factor levels, and reducing the levels of cartilage damage markers CTX-II and COMP. Furthermore, in Comparative Examples 4 and 5, replacing type II collagen chondroitin powder and black pepper extract with other ingredients of similar efficacy significantly reduced the improvement effects, indicating that type II collagen chondroitin powder and black pepper extract cannot be arbitrarily replaced. Finally, Comparative Example 6 changed the type II collagen chondroitin powder content in the tablets... The content of type 7 collagen cartilage powder, turmeric and black pepper extract changed the overall composition of the tablets, and the improvement effect was significantly worse.

[0071] In summary, the composition of the present invention is highly effective in reducing joint swelling, lowering the levels of pro-inflammatory factors and cartilage damage markers CTX-II and COMP. The three components, namely type II collagen cartilage powder, turmeric, and black pepper extract, have a synergistic effect, resulting in a commercially viable product with significant potential for joint care.

[0072] Example 3: Joint care effect test Sixty male volunteers (aged 18-30) with at least one year of exercise experience were recruited as subjects (exclusion criteria: clear contraindications to exercise or other diseases affecting exercise plans, adherence to a vegetarian diet, and allergy to any component of the tablets prepared in the Examples or Comparative Examples, or the commercially available tablets in Effect Example 1). All subjects signed informed consent forms before the experiment. For three months prior to the experiment, subjects were advised to avoid taking protein powder, mass gainers, vitamin supplements, or hormonal drugs; during the experiment, subjects were advised to avoid taking other protein powder, mass gainers, vitamin supplements, or hormonal drugs. Subjects were randomly assigned to three groups of 20 each; subjects underwent resistance training three times a week and took 1.0g of the tablets prepared in Example 1, Comparative Example 1, or the commercially available tablets in Effect Example 1, once daily, for eight weeks.

[0073] All participants underwent an 8-week resistance training intervention (training protocol as shown in Table 4), three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday). The training included lower body exercises (such as squats, leg presses, and knee flexion / extension) and upper body exercises (such as bench presses, seated rows, lat pulldowns, and dumbbell curls). All exercises were performed under the guidance of a professional coach to ensure standardization and correctness. Before the intervention, participants underwent an IRM test to determine their initial training intensity. In weeks 1-4, each exercise was performed in 3 sets of 8-12 RM exercises, with 2-3 minutes of rest between sets. In weeks 4-8, the same exercises were performed in 4 sets of 6-10 RM exercises, with 1-2 minutes of rest between sets. Every two weeks, based on updated IRM test results, the professional coach adjusted the exercise load accordingly to ensure progressive and challenging training. All participants maintained their daily activities throughout the study.

[0074] RM stands for maximum repetitions, which is the maximum number of times a subject can perform a certain weight in one exercise without using assistance.

[0075] 1RM refers to the maximum weight that a subject can complete in one standard repetition.

[0076] 8-12RM refers to the maximum weight that a subject can perform 8 to 12 repetitions with proper form.

[0077] Table 4 Training Plan

[0078] Knee pain severity score analysis: Before and after 8 weeks of resistance training, volunteers were assessed on the degree of knee pain. The assessment criteria are as follows: Table 5 Scoring Criteria

[0079] The results of the knee pain and discomfort severity scores are shown in Table 6.

[0080] Table 6 Knee pain severity score

[0081] Note: * indicates that there is no significant difference between data in the same column (P>0.05); for data in the same column, the same letter indicates that there is no significant difference between data (P>0.05), and different letters indicate that there is a significant difference between data (P<0.05).

[0082] As can be seen from Table 6, the volunteers in Example 1 group experienced significantly less knee pain after training compared to the other two groups, indicating that the composition provided by the present invention has a significant effect on joint care.

[0083] Finally, it should be noted that the above content is only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention, and is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Simple modifications or equivalent substitutions made by those skilled in the art to the technical solution of the present invention do not depart from the essence and scope of the technical solution of the present invention.

Claims

1. A composition for joint care, characterized in that, The composition includes milk mineral salts, turmeric, type II collagen-containing chondroitin powder, N-acetylglucosamine, enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and black pepper extract.

2. The composition according to claim 1, characterized in that, The composition comprises, by weight, 40-60 parts of milk mineral salt, 18-25 parts of turmeric, 9-16 parts of cartilage powder containing type II collagen, 5-10 parts of N-acetylglucosamine, 3-6 parts of enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 0.5-1.5 parts of black pepper extract.

3. The composition according to claim 2, characterized in that, The composition comprises, by weight, 50 parts milk mineral salt, 20 parts turmeric, 12 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 8 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 5 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.0 part black pepper extract.

4. The composition according to claim 2, characterized in that, The composition comprises, by weight, 40 parts milk mineral salt, 25 parts turmeric, 16 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 10 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 3 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 0.5 parts black pepper extract.

5. The composition according to claim 2, characterized in that, The composition comprises, by weight, 60 parts milk mineral salt, 18 parts turmeric, 9 parts chondroitin containing type II collagen, 5 parts N-acetylglucosamine, 6 parts enzymatically hydrolyzed bone powder, and 1.5 parts black pepper extract.

6. A product comprising the composition of any one of claims 1-5.

7. The product according to claim 6, characterized in that, The product is a pharmaceutical product, which also includes pharmaceutically acceptable excipients.

8. The product according to claim 7, characterized in that, The pharmaceutically acceptable excipients are selected from one or more of the following: excipients, buffers, emulsifiers, stabilizers, diluents, binders, preservatives, lubricants, pH adjusters, cryoprotectants, flavoring agents, and fillers.

9. The product according to claim 8, characterized in that, The medicine is selected from capsules, tablets, ointments, powders, or pills.

10. The use of the composition according to any one of claims 1-5 or the product according to any one of claims 6-9 in the preparation of joint care products.

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