Oxerutins (Venoruton®): Efficacy in Chronic Venous Insufficiency

Abstract

The aim of this study was to confirm the clinical efficacy of oxerutins by evaluation of venous parietal tone and microvascular perfusion in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. The study included 60 patients. Venous tone was evaluated by air-plethysmography (APG) in patients with venous insufficiency (CVI). Forty patients were treated with oxerutins and 20 with placebo for 4 weeks. The dose of the first 2 weeks was higher than that of the following 2 weeks. The age range was between 18 and 65 years. Randomized patients received treatment (oxerutins or placebo) according to the grade of CVI. Patients with grade I CVI received 2 g/day in the first 2 weeks of treatment and 1 g/day in the following weeks. Patients with grade II CVI received 3 g/day in the first 2 weeks and 2 g/day in the following 2 weeks. Visits were scheduled at baseline time (visit 1), at 2 weeks (visit 2) and at 4 weeks (visit 3). They were assessed with the following: (1) APG; (2) light reflection rheography (LRR); (3) capillaroscopy; (4) liquid crystals thermography. CVI signs/symptoms--heavy legs, edema, paresthesia, and cramps--were evaluated following a 4-point rating scale (0 = no symptom; 3 = severe symptoms). At visit 3 a final opinion on efficacy was provided by both patients and investigators, based on a 4-point scale (none, fairly good, good, excellent). The two groups were homogeneous for age, sex, and clinical distribution. The changes in venous capacity, were significant (p<0.01) in the oxerutins group at visits 2 and 3; values in the placebo group remained unchanged. The changes in LRR were significant in the treatment group at visits 2 (p<0.05) and 3 (p<0.01); values in the placebo group remained unchanged. Changes in temperature were significant in the oxerutins group at visits 2 (p<0.05) and 3 (p<0.01); changes in the placebo group were not significant at the end of the study. Capillaroscopy showed an improvement in patients treated with oxerutins. The results of the analysis of signs/symptoms favored active treatment. The overall effects of oxerutins were significantly better than the effects of placebo. Considering both noninvasive tests and clinical evaluation, oxerutins is effective in controlling chronic venous hypertension, without side effect, and with good tolerability.

Identification of the Metabolites of the Antioxidant Flavonoid 7-Mono-O-(β-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside in Mice

“…The semisynthetic flavonoid 7-mono-O-(␤-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside (monoHER) is a constituent of the registered drug Venoruton, which is used in the treatment of chronic venous insufficiency (Petruzzellis et al, 2002). In a series of structurally related flavonoids, monoHER was found to be the most potent antioxidant (Haenen et al, 1993).…”

Treatment of chronic venous insufficiency

“…Rutosides are plant flavonoid antioxidants that may decrease microcapillary permeability and reduce edema formation [23]. Rutosides have been evaluated in randomized controlled trials of up to 6 months' duration showing inconsistent efficacy in reducing edema and itching [18••].…”

Flavonoids and Cardiovascular Disease

“…Two studies indicate that venous insufficiency may be improved through treatment with rutin and its derivatives (Cataldi et al, 2001;Petruzzellis et al, 2002). An extract of Ruscus aculeatus and hesperidin methylchalcone inhibits the activation of endothelial cells by hypoxia and may account for the efficacy of these substances in the treatment of venous insufficiency (Bouaziz et al, 1999).…”