|
Chemistry Cetyl myristoleate, an oil, is the hexadecyl
ester of the unsaturated fatty acid cis-9-tetradecenoic acid.
The common name for the acid is myristoleic acid. Myristoleic
acid is found commonly in fish oils, whale oils, dairy butter,
and kombo butter. The chemical formula for cetyl myristoleate
is (Z)-ROCO(CH2)7CH=CH(CH2)3CH3. Cetyl myristoleate was unrecorded
in chemical literature until Diehl's discovery was reported.
The current Merck Index of Chemicals does not list cetyl myristoleate.
A search of Chemical Abstracts lists Diehl's method of extracting
cetyl myristoleate from mice but contains no reference to cetyl
myristoleate prior to his 1977 patent.
Experimentation To test his theory that mice are immune
to arthritis because of cetyl myristoleate, Diehl began to experiment
on laboratory rats. This research was reported in an article
written in conjunction with one of his colleagues at NIH in the
Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences.6
In summary, this paper reports that ten normal mice were
injected in the tail with Freund's Adjuvant (heat-killed desiccated
Mycobacterium butyricum) to which rats and certain other rodents
are susceptible. In a period of 10-20 days, no noticeable swelling
developed in the legs or paws. Mice in a second group were injected
in the left hind paw. Again, after 10-20 days, no swelling was
detected as determined by comparison of the measurements of paws
at the time of injection. Then, a group of rats was injected with cetyl myristoleate, and 48 hours later, they were given the arthritis-inducing Freund's adjuvant. A control group of rats was given Freund's adjuvant only. Both groups of rats were observed for a total of 58 days with respect to weight change, hind and front leg swelling, and general well-being. All rats receiving only Freund's adjuvant developed severe swelling of the front and hind legs, lagged in weight gain, and were lethargic and morbid. Those receiving cetyl myristoleate before receiving Freund's adjuvant grew an average of 5.7 times as much as the control group and had little if any evidence of swelling or other symptoms of polyarthritis. The authors concluded that it was apparent
that cetyl myristoleate gave virtually complete protection against
adjuvant-induced arthritis in rats. Furthermore, a 1:1 mixture
of cetyl myristoleate and a homologue, cetyl oleate, gave results
not significantly different from administering cetyl myristoleate
alone.
A Hiatus Diehl patented his discovery in 1977, receiving
a use patent for rheumatoid arthritis. He then sought pharmaceutical
companies to conduct human trials with cetyl myristoleate, but
none were interested in his discovery. Perhaps the lack of interest
was because cetyl myristoleate was a natural substance and could
not be granted a product patent, or maybe because drug companies
know they will have to run through 25,000 to 35,000 substances
before they find one that makes it to market. Diehl had made
a major nutritional discovery, and no one was interested! Being
a scientist, not a marketing expert, Diehl let his discovery
lay dormant for about 15 years.
Cetyl Myristoleate Cures Diehl's Arthritis As Diehl got older, he began to experience some osteoarthritis in his hands, his knees, and his heels. His family physician tried the usual regimen of cortisone and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs without much effect on the course of the disease. Finally his physician told Harry he could not have any more cortisone. "So," Diehl said, "I thought about my discovery, and I decided to make a batch and use it on myself." He did, and successfully cured himself of his osteoarthritis. Many of his family members and friends became aware of the relief Diehl got from his discovery, and they wanted to try it too. Time after time, people with both rheumatoid and osteoarthritis received astounding relief with cetyl myristoleate. Before long, family members and friends grew into customers, and cetyl myristoleate appeared on the market as a dietary supplement in 1991.
Clinical Observations and Usage In common with many other natural substances
and drugs, the exact mechanism of cetyl myristoleate's physiologic
activity is unclear. As a fatty acid ester, it appears to have
the same characteristics as the essential fatty acids, linoleic
and alpha linolenic acids, except stronger and longer lasting.
These fatty acids are referred to as "essential fatty acids"
because the human body cannot make them and we must ingest them
in our diets. These EFA's truly are essential to normal cell
structure and body function and function as components of nerve
cells, cell membranes, and hormone-like substances known as prostaglandins.
Many of the beneficial effects of a diet rich in plant foods
is a result of the low levels of saturated fat and the relatively
higher levels of EFA's. While a diet high in saturated fat has
been linked to many chronic diseases, a diet low in saturated
fat but high in EFA's prevents these very same diseases.7
The use of EFA's over an extended period of time has been shown
to decrease the pain, inflammation, and limitation of motion
of arthritis.8 The difference between the activity of EFA's and cetyl myristoleate is that the quantity required and the period of time over which EFA's are taken are markedly longer. Cetyl myristoleate is taken in a one month course of about 13 grams, while EFA's must be taken over extended periods, sometimes many years, and intake varies widely from hundreds to thousands of grams. Cetyl myristoleate seems to have properties in common with EFA's, but it acts faster and lasts longer. Because EFA's are necessary for normal
functioning of all tissue, it is not surprising that the list
of symptoms of EFA deficiency is a long one. In chronic inflammatory
processes, the supply of EFA's is depleted. Cetyl myristoleate
appears to have the ability to correct the imbalance created
by chronic inflammation. Like E Venous blood from the gastrointestinal tract is carried to the liver via the portal vein. With the exception of intestinal chylomicrons that enter the lymphatics, all absorbed products pass initially through the liver, and in most instances are extracted or modified before passage into systemic circulation.9 Since all fatty acids enter systemic circulation through the liver, an oil like cetyl myristoleate would begin its systemic circulation from the liver also. It is speculated that cetyl myristoleate stimulates the production of immunoglobulins and series 1 and 3 prostaglandins, which could be one explanation for why cetyl myristoleate has such potent effect in auto-immune and inflammatory conditions. CMO or Cetyl Myristoleate
for Arthritis Pain and Arthritic Conditions.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
References
6. Diehl, H. W. and May, E. L., Cetyl Myristoleate Isolated from Swiss Albino Mice: An Apparent Protective Agent against Adjuvant Arthritis in Rats. Jour. of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 83, No. 3, Mar, 94 pp296-299.
7. Murray, M. T. Encyclopedia of Nutritional Supplements, Prima Publishing, Rocklin, CA 1996 p. 237
8. Sobel, D. and Klein, A. C.. Arthritis: What Works. St. Martins Press, New York, NY. pp. 221-225