HYALONE is a sterile, non pyrogenic, viscoelastic solution manufactured with hyaluronic acid sodium salt, obtained by bacterial fermentation from a fraction of high molecular weight. Hyaluronic acid, a polysaccharide of the glycosaminoglycan family, is naturally present in many human tissues such as cartilage and synovial fluid; it is continuously secreted into the joint space and represents a major component of the synovial fluid, to which it provides its characteristic viscosity and elasticity. Such properties are fundamental for the lubricating and shock absorbing functions exerted by the fluid in normal joints to protect cartilage and soft tissues against mechanical injuries.