Atrogel Arnica Gel

Atrogel Arnica Gel is a licensed herbal medicine made from freshly harvested, organically grown, hand-picked Arnica flower heads. It is used to relieve aches and pains in muscles and joints, strains, sprains, RSI, back pain, sports injuries, fibromyalgia and of course bruising. Our clinical research has shown it to be as effective as ibuprofen gel in treating osteoarthritis.

I thought Arnica was for bruising - why is Atrogel an anti-inflammatory?

For decades, herbalists have known that Arnica Montana had powerful anti-inflammatory properties ad used the tincture topically for a variety of conditions requiring pain relief. However, this tradition was lost as bruising became the most popular indication.

Nevertheless, we were intrigued by the use of Arnica as an anti-inflammatory and wanted to know more. So about 10 years ago, we started a research project to see if we could find the mode of action of Arnica. What we discovered was that freshly harvested Arnica Montana flowers was rich in a group of substances known as sesquiterpene lactones. These act as extremely potent natural anti-inflammatory agents - more powerful than any other substance known to man.

From this knowledge, we developed a herbal product (as opposed to the homoeopathic products previously used), rich in sesquiterpene lactones. This is how Atrogel Arnica Gel was born.

How Does Atrogel Work?

The all-important sesquiterpene lactones act (within the cell nucleus) by intervening at the core of the inflammatory process, inhibiting production of a substance known as NF-KB. Dampening down NF-KB means less inflammation.

In contrast, other natural and synthetic agents act further down the inflammatory process, at the level of enzymes, after inflammation has already started. What this means is that sesquiterpene lactones have the ability to intervene as soon as a fire starts, whereas other agents attempt to put out a blazing fire after it has spread. (Note: the word inflammation comes from the Latin word 'inflammatio', which means 'to set on fire'.) It is thus easy to understand why Atrogel is so effective.

What Clinical Evidence is there?

Atrogel has been the subject of a number of studies. Amongst these are:

• A study in patients suffering from mild to moderate osteoarthritis of the knees found that 3 out of 4 experienced an improvement in their condition.
• A study of patients with osteoarthritis of the fingers found that Atrogel was as effective as the commonly used synthetic topical painkiller, ibuprofen gel.

Do ALL Arnica based products have the same ability to inhibit inflammation?

No, unfortunately not. Tests on a variety of Arnica based products show a wide variation in the inhibition of NF-kB. These differences can probably be explained by the differing levels of sesquiterpene lactones found in products available on the UK market. It is clear that some products do not contain any of this essential group of substances!

Sesquiterpene lactones are relatively unstable substances and levels are highest in fresh plant material. This is just another example of the advantage of fresh herb products

How does Atrogel compare against glucosamine and green-lipped mussel products?

When taken internally, glucosamine is of benefit to many people. There is good evidence that when used long-term, it can help to build up cartilage and consequently, reduce pain. It may take some time for benefits to be felt (usually more than 4 weeks), but you would expect any 'rebuilding' process to be slow. Using Atrogel alongside glucosamine supplements is a good idea, as you get pain relief whilst waiting for glucosamine to start working.

There is little evidence that topical glucosamine can act as an anti-inflammatory agent.

Clinical evidence of the effectiveness of green-lipped mussel extracts used internally as an anti-inflammatory is not as strong as that for glucosamine and this is even more the case with topical green-lipped mussel preparations. The evidence points firmly towards Atrogel as the best topical treatment, especially if fast action is required. Hence, it is a great accompaniment to internal preparations such as Devil's Claw and Glucosamine.

So how quickly does Atrogel work?

Clinical experience tells us that a significant number of people experience pain relief within a few minutes of their first application of Atrogel. This evidence is supported by feedback from many retailers. Sachets of A.Vogel Arnica Gel are readily available so it is easy for you to test the product out with your customers.

Does Atrogel have any contraindications?

Some people are allergic or sensitive to Arnica flowers and should not use Atrogel. It may be used during pregnancy and with other medicines. Unlike ibuprofen gel, Atrogel can be used by those suffering from asthma.

Where do you obtain your Arnica flowers from?

This is an important question for any manufacturer of Arnica products as Arnica Montana is endangered and wild-harvesting in Europe is forbidden. The herb is very difficult to grow. With a great deal of research, we managed to develop a method of cultivating Arnica organically at a farm located in Germany, not far from the Swiss border and Roggwil. From here, we obtain a regular, sustainable crop of Arnica flowers. We put a lot of effort into ensuring that our products do not harm the environment. We call this 'Cultivation with a Conscience'.

What else do I need to know?

Atrogel was the first product in the UK to obtain a licence under the traditional Herbal Medicines Directive and the second in the whole of the EU. As you would expect from all A.Vogel products, it is made to GMP standards. Atrogel is suitable for vegetarians. It contains no animal products, no fish by-products, no parabens or other 'nasties'. A.Vogel does not test on animals.