Patient Interest in Herbal Arthritis Remedy Spurs New Clinical Trial by Mayo Clinic
The world-renowned Mayo Clinic recently announced that due to enthusiastic testimonials from patients, they will conduct a new study of mangosteen, an herbal arthritis remedy.
“We initiated the study because of patient interest,” said Dr. Brent Bauer. Bauer heads Mayo’s department of Complementary and Integrative Medicine. He says interest in the mangosteen study began when he noticed more and more patients trading in their routine steroid treatment for the remarkable benefits of an obscure berry.
The mangosteen tree is an unusual evergreen found mostly in the tropics of Southeast Asia and Indonesia. For centuries, it has been used as an herbal arthritis remedy by traditional healers recognized the mangosteen tree’s dark purple berries for their anti-inflammatory properties — especially beneficial for muscles and joints. In recent years, the berry has gained popularity in natural health circles. Now, Western medicine is trying to catch up. 
While Mayo’s study of mangosteen is hardly the first trial of a natural remedy, it does mark a step forward for supplement makers. First, the study is being funded entirely independently, with no subsidy from any producer of mangosteen supplements. That boosts the credibility of the results.
Additionally, the study will be randomized, double blind, and placebo-controlled. These are the most expensive kind of clinical research, beyond the financial means of most natural supplement producers. However, such studies definitely garner the highest level of respect and validation from the scientific medical community.
This new mangosteen trial is a great example of how natural medicine is breaking through barriers to prove its value against the most rigorous measures. Even better, the study shows how patients who speak up about their successes with natural remedies can help turn the tide toward better health solutions for all of us.
