Bio-optimized Curcuma longa extract is efficient on knee osteoarthritis pain: a double-blind multicenter randomized placebo controlled three-arm study

Henrotin Y, Malaise M, Wittoek R, et al. · Arthritis Research & Therapy

Both curcumin doses improved patient global assessment of disease activity versus placebo and reduced knee pain VAS faster than placebo; the serum cartilage-degradation biomarker Coll2-1 trended down without a clear dose-response.

Population

Adults with knee osteoarthritis, Belgium (three-arm)

Intervention

Bio-optimized curcumin (Flexofytol) at low (~90 mg curcumin) or high dose daily for 90 days

Comparator

Placebo

Limitations

Co-funded by the product's manufacturer (Tilman SA); some endpoints (biomarker) did not separate cleanly from placebo; 3-month duration.