The efficacy of Curcuma Longa L. extract as an adjuvant therapy in primary knee osteoarthritis: a randomized control trial

Pinsornsak P, Niempoog S · Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand

Adding curcumin to diclofenac changed nothing: VAS was identical (p=0.923) and all five KOOS subscales were non-significant, with only a numerical trend on pain and daily function.

Population

Adults with primary knee osteoarthritis, Thailand

Intervention

Diclofenac 75 mg/day plus curcumin 1000 mg/day for 3 months

Comparator

Diclofenac 75 mg/day plus placebo

Limitations

73 of 88 randomised patients completed; unformulated extract at 1000 mg/day may be an under-dose in absorption terms, and an add-on design on top of an effective NSAID has limited room to show a difference.