Also called Chitin, Acetylglucosamine, Glucosamine N-Acetyl, N-A-G, Poly-NAG.
N-acetyl D-glucosamine is used for osteoarthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
N-acetyl D-glucosamine is the acetylated derivative of the amino sugar glucosamine, which is a constituent of cartilage proteoglycans. It is derived from marine exoskeletons or produced synthetically. Glucosamine is required for the synthesis of glycoproteins, glycolipids, and glycosaminoglycans (also known as mucopolysaccharides); these carbohydrate-containing compounds are found in tendons, ligaments, cartilage, synovial fluid, mucous membranes, structures in the eye, blood vessels and heart valves.
Glucosamine is also a component of biologically active compounds such as heparin, but it does not react with heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) antibodies. In osteoarthritis glucosamine stimulates the metabolism of chondrocytes in the articular cartilage and synovial cells in the synovial tissues. There is some evidence that suggests that glucosamine might have a disease-modifying effect, therefore stopping or slowing the progression of osteoarthritis. Glucosamine doesn't seem to directly affect cyclooxygenase, which is responsible for anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), as well as adverse gastrointestinal (GI) effects.
In inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) N-acetylation of glucosamine is relatively deficient, possibly reducing the synthesis of the gastric and intestinal mucosa's protective glycoprotein cover.
Research suggests that glucosamine doesn't affect the pharmacokinetics of glucose. Research in people with normal glucose metabolism suggests glucosamine doesn't affect insulin sensitivity or plasma glucose. Clinical research in people with type 2 diabetes and people without diabetes suggests glucosamine doesn't have any significant effect on blood glucose when given for up to 3 years.
There is concern that use of N-acetyl glucosamine products derived from marine exoskeletons might cause reactions in people allergic to shellfish, although no reactions have been reported. Until more is known people with shellfish allergies should use N-acetyl glucosamine with caution.