Introduction
Joint health products are some of the best-selling products in the animal health supplement market. With a prevalence of 20 %, osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of joint disease in dogs. The disease's prevalence increases from 15 % to 67 % as dogs age. Several studies provide evidence that arthritic-related symptoms can be alleviated in dogs, cats, and horses by oral supplementation of green-lipped mussel powder (GLM) from Perna canaliculus. Although the mechanism of action is not yet fully understood, GLM powder is widely used for prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis and may reduce, or even eliminate, the need for conventional medical therapy NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), in particular. GLM is known to contain anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docohexaenoic acid (DHA), glycosaminoglycans (including chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid), and other nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids) that may have a beneficial effect on the joint health of animals. Beneficial effects of GLM were reported for daily intakes of 10-75 mg per kg. Based on the average daily intake of 42.5 mg/kg, a dose of 128-3400 mg per day would be necessary for dogs in a weight-range of 3-80 kg. Such amounts enable a controlled and convenient medication by tablets with 1-3 servings per day. However, the activity of GLM is considerably reduced by heat treatment, which necessitates a gentle pro- cessing of GLM. Direct compression of tablets eliminates the requirement of moisture and heat during the process. However, it requires a careful selection of excipients, specifically the binding agent, with regards to flowability, compactibility and avoidance of segregation. Moreover, palatants, in addition to high supplement loads, may further limit the quantity of binder, which may result in poor tablet hardness and friability. A solution for overcoming these challenges is Silicified MicroCrystalline Cellulose (SMCC) instead of MCC. This high functionality binder exhibits outstanding binding properties even at moderate usage levels.
Joint health products are some of the best-selling products in the animal health supplement market. With a prevalence of 20 %, osteoarthritis, or degenerative joint disease, is the most common form of joint disease in dogs. The disease's prevalence increases from 15 % to 67 % as dogs age. Several studies provide evidence that arthritic-related symptoms can be alleviated in dogs, cats, and horses by oral supplementation of green-lipped mussel powder (GLM) from Perna canaliculus. Although the mechanism of action is not yet fully understood, GLM powder is widely used for prevention and treatment of osteoarthritis and may reduce, or even eliminate, the need for conventional medical therapy NSAID's (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents), in particular. GLM is known to contain anti-inflammatory omega-3 essential fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docohexaenoic acid (DHA), glycosaminoglycans (including chondroitin sulfate and hyaluronic acid), and other nutrients (vitamins, minerals, amino acids) that may have a beneficial effect on the joint health of animals. Beneficial effects of GLM were reported for daily intakes of 10-75 mg per kg. Based on the average daily intake of 42.5 mg/kg, a dose of 128-3400 mg per day would be necessary for dogs in a weight-range of 3-80 kg. Such amounts enable a controlled and convenient medication by tablets with 1-3 servings per day. However, the activity of GLM is considerably reduced by heat treatment, which necessitates a gentle pro- cessing of GLM. Direct compression of tablets eliminates the requirement of moisture and heat during the process. However, it requires a careful selection of excipients, specifically the binding agent, with regards to flowability, compactibility and avoidance of segregation. Moreover, palatants, in addition to high supplement loads, may further limit the quantity of binder, which may result in poor tablet hardness and friability. A solution for overcoming these challenges is Silicified MicroCrystalline Cellulose (SMCC) instead of MCC. This high functionality binder exhibits outstanding binding properties even at moderate usage levels.