Anti-inflammatory effect

Inflammatory processes are controlled by HA of various molecular weights. An inactive hyaluronidase (Hyal) allows HMW HA to induce anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and immunesuppressive effects; an active Hyal cleaves HA to LMW HA fragments that inflict pro-inflammatory, pro-angiogenic, and immune activation effects.
The administration of exogenous CS has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory activity in chondrocytes and synovial cells of patients with knee osteoarthritis . Indeed, CS reduces nitric oxide (NO) release, the activation of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), and the synthesis of different proinflammatory mediators involved in OA pathogenesis. Moreover, CS has also been demonstrated to decrease synovial inflammation and cartilage damage in arthritis models.
Moreover, GlcNAc inhibits the IL-1β-induced gene expression and production of nitric oxide, cyclooxygenase-2 and IL-6 in human articular chondrocytes . Based on these observations and the present study, we hypothesize that GlcNAc exerts anti-inflammatory effects.