Annie Eng, CEO of HP Ingredients, recently announced that its signature botanical ingredient ParActin, a botanical extract sourced from Andrographis paniculata, has been granted a product license from Health Canada.
 
The Natural and Non-prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD) has concluded that HP Ingredients’ application for ParActin is in compliance pursuant to section 7 of the Natural Health Products Regulations (NHPR). The license was granted in April for ParActin 50% total andrographolides (comprised of andrographolide, 14-deoxyandrographolide, and neoandrographolide) – specifically, that one 150mg capsule taken twice daily “helps to relieve joint health associated with osteoarthritis of the knee.”
 
“Canadian consumers will now be able to purchase ParActin-containing supplements clearly for joint health, and can be comfortable discussing usage with their osteopaths, general practitioners, and naturopaths,” Eng said.
 
Although this claim can only be used exclusively in Canada by marketers, Eng noted that it shows trust by a national regulatory agency in the sufficiency of research demonstrating the efficacy of a relatively small dose (150mg twice a day) of ParActin for joint support.
 
“Further, this license reinforces the 40 years-plus of clinical research experience of Dr. Juan Hancke of Universidad Austral de Chile, and Chief Scientific Officer of HP Ingredients,” Eng added.
 
Health Canada claims are viewed with interest by the Australian TGA and EU’s EFSA for direction regarding allowing claims while independently reviewing the clinical studies.
 
“Health Canada is sometimes looked at as the ‘gold standard’ when reviewing claims, because two double-blind, placebo-controlled, peer-reviewed published human studies are required to make the claim,” Eng said. “Health Canada licensure also provides our U.S. customers that are marketing ParActin in the U..S. and around the world the confidence when making DSHEA-compliant structure function claims.”
 
The two studies providing evidence of ParActin’s efficacy in improving joint health in people with osteoarthritis of the knee were published in the journals Clinical Rheumatology and Phytotherapy Research.