Effect of Andosan in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

Main aim: Examine whether daily oral ingestion of a immunomodulatory mushroom extract (AndoSanTM) leads to a clinical, biochemical and genetical improvement in RA. The experiment will be carried out for 21 days in 15 eligible RA patients. In order to increase the scientific value of the project we will use, a as far as possible, an age matched control group of RA patients with steady medication and no intervention. The control group of 10-15 patients will be answering the same questionnaires and give the same samples of blood and feces. Partial aims: To compare prior to (day 0) and after (day 21) daily (30 ml x 2) ingestion of Andosan the effect of this therapy on: * general blood samples (leucocytes, CRP, liver and renal function tests), including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (SR) and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) * level of blood cytokines and analytes (IL-1α/-1ra/-2/-4/-5/-6/-7/-8/-9/-10/-12(p70)/-13/-15/ 17,G-CSF,GM-CSF,MCP-1,MIP-1ß/-1α,IFNγ,TNFα and basic FGF, eotaxin, PDGF-BB, RANTES,VEGF;27-plex) -level of inflammatory marker calprotectin in feces and blood in patients * genetic expression in blood leukocytes (microarray) -number of swollen and tender joints, morning stiffness, Disease activity score 28 calculated by ESR (DAS28-ESR), RA impact of disease score (RAID), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), visual analogue scale (VAS) for patient's and physician's global assessment of disease activity, life quality (SF-36 version 2), fatigue score. Partial aims: To compare prior to (day 0) and after (day 21) daily (30 ml x 2) ingestion of Andosan the effect of this therapy on: * general blood samples (leucocytes, CRP, liver and renal function tests), including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (SR) and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) * level of blood cytokines and analytes (IL-1α/-1ra/-2/-4/-5/-6/-7/-8/-9/-10/-12(p70)/-13/-15/ 17,G-CSF,GM-CSF,MCP-1,MIP-1ß/-1α,IFNγ,TNFα and basic FGF, eotaxin, PDGF-BB, RANTES,VEGF;27-plex) -level of inflammatory marker calprotectin in feces and blood in patients * genetic expression in blood leukocytes (microarray) -number of swollen and tender joints, morning stiffness, Disease activity score 28 calculated by ESR (DAS28-ESR), RA impact of disease score (RAID), Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), visual analogue scale (VAS) for patient's and physician's global assessment of disease activity, life quality (SF-36 version 2), fatigue score.