Table 1.
Clinical studies on the antiosteoarthritic effects of curcumin
| Reference (year) | Characteristic of the subjectsa | Treatment | WOMAC | Karnofsky | Walking test# (treadmill/time to walk) | Inflammation | Side effects | Management cost | Concurrent drug use | Other pain assessment | Oxidative stress | Other assessments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appelboom et al45 (2014) | 820 OA patients aged 64.2±12.4 years attended by 110 general physicians. | Curcuma extract: 739 took four capsules per day, and 81 took six capsules for at least 6 months. | NA | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | Reduced | Reduced | NA | Improved flexibility |
| Badria et al32 (2002) | 30 OA patients received the treatment, 15 received placebo, and 15 without OA. | 500 mg of curcumin plus boswellia preparation per day for 3 months. | NA | NA | Reduced | Reduced | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | Reduced | Improved clinical signs |
| Belcaro et al42 (2010) | Patients with bilateral OA diagnosed with X-ray, suffering from mild-to-moderate pain. Mean age ± SD of treatment group =44.4±7.2 years; control group =45.3±8.6 years). | Treatment group (n=50) received 1,000 mg Meriva tablets equivalent to 200 mg curcuminoids per day plus best available treatment deemed suitable by the physicians. Control group (n=50) received the best available treatment only. Period: 3 months. | Improved | NA | Improved | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | NA | NA | NA |
| Belcaro et al41 (2010) | Patients with bilateral OA diagnosed with X-ray, suffering from mild-to-moderate pain. Mean age ± SD of treatment group =43.6±5.5 years; control group =44.2±6 years). | Treatment group (n=50) received 1,000 mg Meriva tablets equivalent to 200 mg curcuminoids per day plus best available treatment deemed suitable by the physicians. Control group (n=50) received the best available treatment only. Period: 8 months. | Improved | Improved | Improved | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | NA | NA | NA |
| Belcaro et al43 (2014) | Grade 1–2 OA patients (according to criteria of American College of Rheumatology) aged 56.4±5.2 years. | Meriva 500 mg (curcumin in lecithin) + glucosamine 500 mg daily (n=63) or chondroitin 400 mg + glucosamine 415 mg (n=61) daily. Period: 4 months. | Improved | Improved | Improved | NA | Reduced | Reduced | Reduced | NA | NA | NA |
| Henrotin et al46 (2014) | 22 OA patients (M, 7; F, 15) aged 64.3±8.4 years. They could not use NSAIDS and analgesics during the study. | 3 caps of bioptimized curcumin (Flexofytol) in the morning and 3 caps in the evening. Each cap contains 42 mg curcumin mixed with polysorbate for 3 months. No placebo group. Period: 84 days. | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | Improved global disease assessment |
| Kertia et al40 (2012) | Mild-to-moderate OA patients aged 64.05±8.83 years diagnosed using American College of Rheumatology criteria. | 30 mg of curcuminoid extracted from Curcuma domestica (n=34) or 25 mg of diclofenac sodium three times daily (n=39). Period: 4 weeks (n=39). | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
| Kizhakkedath39 (2013) | OA patients (mean age for treatment group =49.70±8.20 years, mean age for control group =47.20±9.70 years). | Treatment (n=14): 350 mg Curcuma longa extract containing 70% curcumin, 17% demethoxycurcumin, 3.5% bis- demethoxycurcumin and 7.5% turmeric essential oils and 150 mg Boswellia serrata extract containing 75% boswellic acids and 10% AKBA per capsule. Two capsules a day. Control (n=14): celecoxib 100 mg twice daily. Period: 12 weeks. | NA | NA | Improved | NA | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | Improved clinical signs |
| Kuptniratsaikul et al38 (2009) | Subjects (treatment group aged 61.4±8.7 years; ibuprofen group aged 60.0±8.4 years) with knee pain (pain score >5–10) and radiographic OA. | Treatment (n=45): C. domestica extract 2,000 mg/day. Standard treatment (n=46): Ibuprofen 800 mg/day. Period: 6 weeks. | NA | NA | Improved | NA | NS | NA | NA | NA | NA | Patients’ satisfaction was similar with standard |
| Kuptniratsaikul et al37 (2014) | 185 patients (aged 60.3±6.8 years) were placed in the treatment group and 182 (aged 60.9±6.9 years) in the ibuprofen group. Recruitment performed in eight hospitals in Thailand. | Treatment (n=171): C. domestica extract 1,500 mg/day (containing 750 mg curcuminoids). Standard treatment (n=160): Ibuprofen 1,200 mg/day. Period: 4 weeks. | Improved | NA | NA | NA | NS | NA | NA | NA | NA | Patients’ global rating and satisfaction were similar between two groups |
| Madhu et al44 (2013) | Clinically or radiographically diagnosed OA patients with KL grade 2–3 or OA grade 2–3. | Treatment (n=29): C. longa extract 1,000 mg/day Standard treatment (n=28): glucosamine 1,500 mg/day. Combination group (n=24): C. longa extract and glucosamine. Placebo (n=29): cellulose 800 mg/day. Period: 42 days. | Improved | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | Reduced | Reduced | NA | Improved clinical signs |
| Nakagawa et al33 (2014) | Patients aged 68.7±7.0 years with OA of KL grade 2 or 3. | Placebo (n=20) or Theracurmin (n=15) containing 180 mg curcurmin daily. Period: 8 weeks. | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | Reduced | NA | Improved Japanese knee osteoarthritis measure score |
| Panahi et al35 (2014) | Subjects with degenerative primary OA, mild-moderate severity, mild-moderate pain with active movement. Mean age for treatment group was 57.32±8.78 years; placebo group 57.57±9.05 years. Subjects could use naproxen if necessary. | Treatment (n=19): curcuminoid capsules 1,500 mg/day containing 15 mg/day piperine to improve bioavailability. Placebo (n=21): inert starch. Period: 6 weeks. | Improved | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | NA | Reduced | Reduced (Lequesne’s scale) | NA | NA |
| Panahi et al34 (2016) | Subjects with degenerative primary OA, mild-moderate severity, mild- moderate pain with active movement. Mean age for treatment group was 57.32±8.78 years; placebo group 57.57±9.05 years. | Treatment (n=19): curcuminoid capsules 1,500 mg/day containing 15 mg/day piperine to improve bioavailability. Placebo (n=21): inert starch. Period: 6 weeks. | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA |
| Rahimnia et al36 (2015) | Subjects with degenerative primary OA, mild-moderate severity, mild–moderate pain with active movement. Mean age for treatment group was 57.32±8.78 years; placebo group 57.57±9.05 years. | Treatment (n=19): curcuminoid capsules 1,500 mg/day containing 15 mg/day piperine to improve bioavailability. Placebo (n=21): inert starch. Period: 6 weeks. | NA | NA | NA | Reduced | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA | NA |
Notes:
a
Age data shown as mean ± SD.
#
Treadmill test/Time needed to walk certain distance.
Abbreviations: AKBA, 3-O-acetyl-11-keto-boswellic acid; F, female; KL, Kellgren–Lawrence grading; M, male; NA, data not available; NSAIDS, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents; OA, osteoarthritis; SD, standard deviation; WOMAC, The Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index; C. longa, Curcuma longa.