A randomized, double-blind comparison shows the addition of oxygenated glycerol triesters to topical mentholated cream for the treatment of acute musculoskeletal pain demonstrates incremental benefit over time.

BACKGROUND: Topical analgesics are important products in the armamentarium for pain relief. METHODS AND FINDINGS: This study compared a topical analgesic product containing menthol to the same product with the addition of oxygenated glycerol triesters (OGTs) (also called essential oxygen oil) in 66 healthy adult subjects with acute musculoskeletal pain. Patients were randomized in a single-center, double-blind study to receive mentholated cream (MC) only or MC containing OGTs. Patients self-reported their pain intensity, lifestyle limitations, and evaluation of the mobility of the painful joint or muscle at baseline and three times daily over a seven-day course on a 100-mm visual analog scale (VAS). Patients in both groups experienced statistically significant pain relief on Day 8 over baseline, with the MC plus OGT-treated group reporting statistically significantly greater pain relief than the MC group (P = 0.016). In addition, patients treated with the combination product experienced an incremental decrease in pain during each of the 7 days of treatment in addition, and they had lower VAS scores and greater lifestyle and mobility improvements than the MC group. Both products were well tolerated with no serious adverse events reported and no signs of significant skin reactions in either group. CONCLUSION: Based on this study, a MC containing OGTs is safe, effective, and provided significantly better pain relief than MC alone. The combination of oxygenated glycerol trimesters and MC provided significant pain relief and offered continued improvement in pain relief over time.

Preliminary observations of a novel topical oil with analgesic properties for treatment of acute and chronic pain syndromes.

OBJECTIVE: Essential oxygen oil (OxyRub from CreoMed Inc., Naples, FL, U.S.A.) is a novel topical analgesic currently commercially available in Europe and now available in the U.S.A. It represents an important alternative to other treatments (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, menthol, camphor) for managing mild to moderate acute and chronic pain. Several clinical trials of this oil will be reviewed. RESULTS: One large (n = 455) open-label trial found essential oxygen oil to be a safe and effective analgesic for a broad range of patients with acute and chronic pain. In that study, 80% of patients reported that their pain decreased by more than 75%. A double-blind placebo-controlled study (n = 50) found significant pain reduction for tendonitis in patients using essential oxygen oil. Another trial of essential oxygen oil vs. placebo (n = 50) with various pain diagnoses found that 98% of patients with various pain diagnoses reported "very good" pain relief in the oil group compared to 48% in the placebo group. Furthermore, a randomized controlled trial in 10 women to measure oxygen microcirculatory effect in the skin showed an increased microcirculatory effect with improved oxygenation (increased partial pressure of oxygen in the skin) after application of essential oxygen oil. In all studies, the oil was well tolerated. None of these studies has been previously published. CONCLUSIONS: Based on studies completed, essential oxygen oil has shown itself to be safe, has demonstrated positive analgesic effects for the treatment of acute and chronic pain, and has improved oxygen content in the skin as well as other dermatological parameters.