Cetyl myristoleate
Encyclopedia
Cetyl myristoleate is the cetyl
ester
of myristoleic acid
. It has multiple biological properties, including as an anti-inflammatory
and a pain reliever, as well as being an immune system modulator. As supplied, it is a naturally derived, highly purified, and refined waxy ester prepared for oral administration. Because it is an ester form, highly resistant to oxidation, it has a relatively long life in the body. No harmful short or long term effects have been observed in laboratory animals at high doses or in limited human experiments. Similar substances have been used in common foods, including cheese and chocolate and even in medicines and cosmetics. It has not been found to be habit-forming and no side effects have been reported to date. It is not as well known as glucosamine and/or chondroitin although there is a growing use of cetyl myristoleate in the treatment of the body pains brought on by various maladies such as bursitis, gout, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and sports related injuries.
25 years ago. It was discovered in the early 1960s by Harry W. Diehl http://www.harrydiehl.com. Diehl was a research chemist working in sugar metabolism at the NIH in the Laboratory of Chemistry of the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolic, and Digestive Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. Diehl studied the seeming immunity of mice to arthritis, and discovered cetyl myristoleate through his research, investigations, testing and analysis.
Diehl’s research on cetyl myristoleate was published in the March 1994 issue of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association and the American Chemical Society
. Diehl received three U.S. Patents for “use” on cetyl myristoleate, the first in 1977 on cetyl myristoleate http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,049,824.PN.&OS=PN/4,049,824&RS=PN/4,049,824, the second in 1978 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,113,881.PN.&OS=PN/4,113,881&RS=PN/4,113,881, and then in 1996 for the treatment on osteo-arthritis http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,569,676.PN.&OS=PN/5,569,676&RS=PN/5,569,676. After receiving his first “use” patent, Mr. Diehl immediately approached the pharmaceutical industry stalwarts, including Pfizer
and Merck
, with his discovery, but they declined. This was mainly due to rules concerning patents on natural products and because cetyl myristoleate could not be granted a “product” patent. Diehl knew of no other way to bring Cetyl Myristoleate to the public, and consequently his discovery sat on the shelf collecting dust until 1991 when he, himself, developed arthritis.
As Diehl got older, he began to experience some osteoarthritis in his hands, knees, and the heels of his feet. 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 the symptoms of osteo-arthritis disappeared. Cetyl myristoleate appeared on the market as a supplement in 1991.
In May, 2000, the Federal Trade Commission
, or FTC, filed separate complaints alleging "deceptive acts or practices, and the making of false advertisements" against two U.S. distributors of Cetyl myristoleate - EHP Products Inc. and CMO Distribution Centers of America, Inc. In each complaint, the FTC asserted that the distributors made claims that Cetyl myristoleate was a cure for numerous diseases.
In the case of EHP Products, the FTC charged that:
"For example, studies have not examined the efficacy of the ingredients in respondents' CMO products in the prevention or cure of arthritis, hepatitis C, emphysema, obstructive lung disease, spinal stenosis, eczema, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, temperomandibular joint disease, arthropathy, rheumatism, osteitis, osteochondritis, osteomalacia, or osteomyelitis; or in the prevention of fever blisters, colds, flu, or allergy symptoms; or in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood sugar levels. In addition, there is insufficient information available to determine the reliability of other purported studies or the applicability of such studies to the respondents' products."
A similar claim against CMO additionally took issue with the implication that a patent implied that the product was proven to be effective:
"The issuance of U.S. patents does not prove that respondents' CMO products are effective in treating or alleviating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis."
Cetyl alcohol
Cetyl alcohol, also known as 1-hexadecanol and palmityl alcohol, is a fatty alcohol with the chemical formula CH315OH. At room temperature, cetyl alcohol takes the form of a waxy white solid or flakes....
ester
Ester
Esters are chemical compounds derived by reacting an oxoacid with a hydroxyl compound such as an alcohol or phenol. Esters are usually derived from an inorganic acid or organic acid in which at least one -OH group is replaced by an -O-alkyl group, and most commonly from carboxylic acids and...
of myristoleic acid
Myristoleic acid
Myristoleic acid, or 9-tetradecenoic acid, is an omega-5 fatty acid. It is biosynthesized from myristic acid by the enzyme delta-9 desaturase, but it is uncommon in nature...
. It has multiple biological properties, including as an anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory
Anti-inflammatory refers to the property of a substance or treatment that reduces inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs make up about half of analgesics, remedying pain by reducing inflammation as opposed to opioids, which affect the central nervous system....
and a pain reliever, as well as being an immune system modulator. As supplied, it is a naturally derived, highly purified, and refined waxy ester prepared for oral administration. Because it is an ester form, highly resistant to oxidation, it has a relatively long life in the body. No harmful short or long term effects have been observed in laboratory animals at high doses or in limited human experiments. Similar substances have been used in common foods, including cheese and chocolate and even in medicines and cosmetics. It has not been found to be habit-forming and no side effects have been reported to date. It is not as well known as glucosamine and/or chondroitin although there is a growing use of cetyl myristoleate in the treatment of the body pains brought on by various maladies such as bursitis, gout, osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and sports related injuries.
History
Cetyl Myristoleate studies began at the U.S. National Institutes of HealthNational Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
25 years ago. It was discovered in the early 1960s by Harry W. Diehl http://www.harrydiehl.com. Diehl was a research chemist working in sugar metabolism at the NIH in the Laboratory of Chemistry of the National Institute of Arthritis, Metabolic, and Digestive Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland. Diehl studied the seeming immunity of mice to arthritis, and discovered cetyl myristoleate through his research, investigations, testing and analysis.
Diehl’s research on cetyl myristoleate was published in the March 1994 issue of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the journal of the American Pharmaceutical Association and the American Chemical Society
American Chemical Society
The American Chemical Society is a scientific society based in the United States that supports scientific inquiry in the field of chemistry. Founded in 1876 at New York University, the ACS currently has more than 161,000 members at all degree-levels and in all fields of chemistry, chemical...
. Diehl received three U.S. Patents for “use” on cetyl myristoleate, the first in 1977 on cetyl myristoleate http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,049,824.PN.&OS=PN/4,049,824&RS=PN/4,049,824, the second in 1978 for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=4,113,881.PN.&OS=PN/4,113,881&RS=PN/4,113,881, and then in 1996 for the treatment on osteo-arthritis http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=5,569,676.PN.&OS=PN/5,569,676&RS=PN/5,569,676. After receiving his first “use” patent, Mr. Diehl immediately approached the pharmaceutical industry stalwarts, including Pfizer
Pfizer
Pfizer, Inc. is an American multinational pharmaceutical corporation. The company is based in New York City, New York with its research headquarters in Groton, Connecticut, United States...
and Merck
Merck & Co.
Merck & Co., Inc. , also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme or MSD outside the United States and Canada, is one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. The Merck headquarters is located in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, an unincorporated area in Readington Township...
, with his discovery, but they declined. This was mainly due to rules concerning patents on natural products and because cetyl myristoleate could not be granted a “product” patent. Diehl knew of no other way to bring Cetyl Myristoleate to the public, and consequently his discovery sat on the shelf collecting dust until 1991 when he, himself, developed arthritis.
As Diehl got older, he began to experience some osteoarthritis in his hands, knees, and the heels of his feet. 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 the symptoms of osteo-arthritis disappeared. Cetyl myristoleate appeared on the market as a supplement in 1991.
In May, 2000, the Federal Trade Commission
Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, established in 1914 by the Federal Trade Commission Act...
, or FTC, filed separate complaints alleging "deceptive acts or practices, and the making of false advertisements" against two U.S. distributors of Cetyl myristoleate - EHP Products Inc. and CMO Distribution Centers of America, Inc. In each complaint, the FTC asserted that the distributors made claims that Cetyl myristoleate was a cure for numerous diseases.
In the case of EHP Products, the FTC charged that:
"For example, studies have not examined the efficacy of the ingredients in respondents' CMO products in the prevention or cure of arthritis, hepatitis C, emphysema, obstructive lung disease, spinal stenosis, eczema, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, tendonitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, scleroderma, temperomandibular joint disease, arthropathy, rheumatism, osteitis, osteochondritis, osteomalacia, or osteomyelitis; or in the prevention of fever blisters, colds, flu, or allergy symptoms; or in lowering cholesterol, blood pressure, or blood sugar levels. In addition, there is insufficient information available to determine the reliability of other purported studies or the applicability of such studies to the respondents' products."
A similar claim against CMO additionally took issue with the implication that a patent implied that the product was proven to be effective:
"The issuance of U.S. patents does not prove that respondents' CMO products are effective in treating or alleviating the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis."